


Walter

by AwatereJones



Series: Walter Verse [1]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Family Drama, M/M, Violence, alt universe, non-canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-05-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 01:28:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 70
Words: 47,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3672426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto is a librarian/single father who is robbed on his birthday, poor sod. Jack to the rescue? Instant chemistry. Heart full of Elves has kindly offered to Beta this for me. I'm taking my time with this one.   Originally posted on FF but now dual posting.  If not for the lovely Beta it would not be published as my version was pretty sketchy! WARNING Violence and future SMUT</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Fat drops of rain tried to wriggle under Ianto's collar, and he felt another hike of annoyance at his sister for not dropping his coat off like he'd asked. She'd said she had some shopping to do and would drop it in before lunch. Bah!

Lunch breaks weren't meant to be this hard and he was disappointed in the day altogether. Here he was, his twenty-sixth birthday, and even he hadn't remembered until he'd logged onto his computer at work. His sister hadn't remembered when he dropped Walter off and it seemed his co-workers had forgotten too. He'd not received even one single bloody e-mail.

And now it was bloody raining, his coat was still in Rhi's car, and the coffee he had risked the rain for was over-extracted, leaving it bitter.

This bloody suit was a month's wages. Damn it, wool might help with the rain but it's going to be a bitch to dry without shrinking. The dry cleaners charged like a wounded bull and he wondered, not for the first time, why he didn't give them up. He only started wearing them for Lisa, and now … silly really.

As he stomped back towards the library, he kept a silent list of disappointments growing in his head until here was the biggest bastard of all. Ianto might not have known his way around a gun but he was smart enough to know that was not the preferable end digging into his side.

He was swung into an alley and slammed against the bricks. His breath was knocked from him as his head collided with the hard brick and his eyes watered at the pain. The hand ruffling inside his clothes nauseated him, and when his wallet was tugged away he felt weak relief. A robbery, not …

A sharp dig to his ribs reminded him that he was still being robbed and he tore off his watch and handed it over his shoulder. When the robber grabbed his hand, the first wave of anger hit. Not the wedding ring. He barely had time to register before it was gone.

Then came a sharp bite followed quickly by darkness.

Shitty, shitty day.

.

.

.

Light. Bright, piercing and too fucking close. Ianto groaned and turned his head away. Voices, loud and far too bloody excited for a rainy day, filled his ears and he groaned again.

"How long before we can talk to him?" An American? Here in Cardiff?

Ianto opened his eyes and looked over at the man talking to the doctor just outside the curtain. As someone opened the ER doors a breeze whistled in, causing the curtains to sway, and Ianto got a good look at the man waiting to question him.

Tall, maybe even taller than him. Dark hair, spiky and straight. Clean cut and well-polished. The old WWII greatcoat set him apart. His boots were big and Ianto wondered … Stop it!

The whining in Ianto's head lessened up long enough for his hip to start throbbing. He gasped and looked down as his fingers found a bandage. Oh god. He lifted the sheet back for a better look and saw a large padding attached to his hip.

"Mr Jones, back with us then, are ya?" The London accent of the doctor shook him out of his fugue and he gazed at the doctor with growing confusion.

"What ... what happened? Shit. What's the time?" Ianto groaned.

Several things happened at once. Ianto tried to sit up and check his long gone watch. The doctor jumped and reached for Ianto when he watched the colour drain from his face, and the American? Well, he did the only thing that made sense. He stepped around the doctor and grabbed Ianto as he surged forward so that when his cry of pain burst out the man already had Ianto's shoulders to help ease him back.

Damn. He smelt good.

"Easy there Tiger," the American said. Tt was almost like he was holding him.

"Oh No, I'm late," he moaned.

"Work? You need us to call work?" A woman with a Welsh accent stepped into the room, her long auburn hair swinging around her face.

"No, no. They probably didn't even miss me; I was just doing inventory out back … Oh shit. Now I'm late for picking up my son." Ianto rubbed his head and felt a small patch of hair cut short with stitches in the centre.

Oh, bloody Hell. 

His face must have shown his horror, and the man in the coat hugged him closer and shushed him. He did. Honest!

Ianto looked up into his face. Wowsers, those eyes are to drown in.

"You hit your head pretty hard. At least with it being your temple it's not obvious," the man was saying. Ianto closed his eyes and let the vibrations rattle through him. He ached.

"You were grazed by the bullet. It chipped a bit of your hip but no big damage," the doctor added, pointing at Ianto's hip like he might not know which one. Was he serious?

"I'm Detective Gwen Cooper and this is my partner Detective Jack Harkness." Ah, the woman was finally giving him some helpful information. "That one in the white coat is really a doctor, just a horrible personality."

"Oi Cooper, I'll bloody report yas again, ya blouse," he groused. "I'm Owen Harper MD; don't shag a bird before asking what she does for a living, yeah?"

"Get a grip Owen, a quick fumble in the cupboard does not make a shag!" Gwen leaned closer to Ianto and winked. "Bloody pitiful really."

"Maybe we can help. Do you have the number of the school …" Jack said. Jack, right? Nice. Focus.

"No, no … sorry. My sister cares for him during the day. She runs a day-care centre in her home. He's only three ya see …" Ianto became aware he was rambling and blushed, looking down at his hands.

"OK, what time do you pick him up?" Jack tried again. What a patient man, and me such a twat.

"Five. I'm usually there by five on a Friday," Ianto finally said.

"Oh. It's only 4.30 sir, we might make it," Gwen smiled, showing a gap in her teeth that was quite endearing, and Ianto found himself smiling softly back.

"Wait," he frowned, looking around. "How did you know my name? He took my wallet."

Jack frowned and leaned in close to look at Ianto's eyes; his smell was so Yummy. MMmmm. Ianto hoped none of that was showing and he willed himself not to blush. Don't blush. No. Mustn't … damn! 

Jack's eyes widened and Ianto knew it - a blush was forming.

"Ya told us when you came in. Memory loss, not unusual in a trauma like this. We were pretty shocky, aye boyo. Oi, that's my patient there Captain," the doctor barked.

"Captain? I thought …" Ianto frowned.

"Nickname. On account of my Dad's coat I like to wear, and he was a captain. I was always called little captain because I'm the dead spit. It stuck, I guess," Jack smiled.

God, you're cute. Jack grinned wider, and Ianto realised that one came out loud. Oops.


	2. sbapshots

The scenery flashed past like snapshots. Slides. There was a slideshow outside the car window Ianto was leaning his head against. Cool. Tad used to do those.

After Mama was gone, Ianto took the projector to the basement and looked at every slide of her he could find. When Tad had found him, he had confiscated them. Only the pic of him as a baby in Mam's arms remained. Ianto had that one in the palm of his hand, never let go. Not even during the beating. When the old bastard died, he looked for them. No sign.

Lamppost. Dog. Lady with shopping. Cars waiting at crossing. Children running. Lamppost. Oh, wait. Rhi's street. Ianto sat up and wished he hadn't. The freezing was all but gone in his hip and it screamed blue bloody murder.

Ianto still couldn't believe Jack was so nice. His shift ended at five and his partner - Gwen, right? - said she would go back and clock them out, which meant that right now the two men were quietly sitting outside his sister's in a cop car. Not just any cop car. A big, black special ops beast. No Heddlu label stamped on this baby, just the Captain's division – Torchwood.

Ianto found he liked the name Captain for this man, now opening his door for him. Wow, he moves so fine. Like a dancer. Wait, didn't even feel him get out. Shit. Still a little shaky.

Captain, the man in charge. Ianto liked someone else in charge and really, he'd do. He'd do fine.

Ianto half climbed, half slid from the vehicle and straight into Jack's arms, where he then rested. Jack seemed to sense his dizziness and held him against the doorframe, one leg between his and cradling him in his arms. Ianto's head felt just right nestled into that neck. He wanted to stay there but someone was coming.

The click, click, click of her heels got closer and faster. Finally they stopped, and the gasp sounded Tosh-like so he looked up blearily at his friend.

"Ianto? Oh my god. What happened, is that blood?" she gushed, reaching for him.

Jack had heard the details of the mugging and the way Ianto had touched the ring mark with despair. So this must be her. Lisa.

"Hello there. I'm Toshiko, Ianto's friend. Why are you humping him against that car?" she said, all of it so nicely that it took Jack a moment to realise what she had said. Jack froze and slowly pulled back a bit to separate their crotches. Wow, that was a surprise. As was Ianto's moan of disappointment.

"Ianto was mugged earlier today. He's a bit shaky. How about we do this inside where it's warmer?" Jack smiled and she melted. Wow, where did Ianto find this one? Tosh thought.

They walked up the path, through the door and into the front room. The yells of "Surprise" did not get the desired effect.

Ianto jumped out of his skin with a shriek of terror and promptly collapsed against Jack, shaking like a leaf.

Jack rushed him to the sofa and sat him down, then sitting beside him and pulling him back into his arms, Ianto's sobs became louder as he hid his face from his family and friends. As per usual, Rhia took control.

"Right, you lot, something's wrong with me wee brother, so fuck off to the other room can't yas," she barked, and Johnny hastily relocated the guests to the kitchen.

Rhiannon watched her brother cry into the chest of this Greek Adonis and wondered what the fuck was going on. Tosh returned with a glass of whiskey which Jack waved away.

"He has a concussion and is on pain meds, so no alcohol," he growled, then grimaced and apologised.

The women both noted how Ianto clung to him and how one of those lovely hands enclosed Ianto's while the other rubbed circles on his back.

"Oh God, how embarrassing," Ianto moaned into Jack's neck.

"It's OK, you've had a bad day," Jack soothed, suddenly very protective of this vulnerable man.

"I'm sorry. I'm making a fool of myself and … oh, I'm making you wet," Ianto howled, rubbing his face against Jack who huffed with good humour.

Ianto's sobs died to snores as he succumbed to exhaustion. Jack hugged him against himself as he shuffled to the edge of the sofa then lifted him gently into his arms.

"Bed?" he asked Tosh, who blushed prettily then tittered.

She motioned for him to follow, and led him to a room with a generous-sized bed of which Rhia was folding back the linens. She looked up as Jack entered with her brother in his arms, and sighed.

Jack carefully sat and slid Ianto from his lap to the bed, keeping him snug against his chest. With Tosh's gentle help they managed to remove his jacket, tie and shirt, then, as Ianto groaned in his sleep, Jack lifted him gently so his trousers could be eased past his hips.

Jack lifted him one more time, to lay him back onto the pillows. As he undid one shoe, Rhia worked on the other one. Tosh stroked the hair from Ianto's face and kissed his forehead softly, taking in the bruises evident from his struggle against the brickwork.

Finally he was undressed. His white singlet and cotton boxers looked comfortable enough and Jack carefully arranged him so he was not on his bad hip, placing a pillow behind him in case he tried to roll on it. Seeing the gauze made Rhia gasp, and Jack whispered that he would explain later.

He rose as Rhia tucked the bed covers around her brother and looked into his face. Ianto was frowning so Jack impulsively kissed him softly on those sweet lips, and they moved in response.

Rhia's gasp reminded him they were not alone, and he looked over Ianto's prone form and winked.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, shaking her head as they exited the room. Jack looked back and left the door slightly open before following the women back to the other room and the questions they would have.


	3. cheeky

When Ianto opened his eyes he noted that the blinds were drawn. He looked down and the shock in discovering that he was only partially dressed made him jump up in bed. His hip complained bitterly at the action.

The last two days of pain came back to him and he sighed.

Voices, Walter's little laugh made Ianto smile as he looked about for a robe.

Pulling on his battered old "granddad" robe as Rhia liked to call it, he tied the belt and shuffled to the loo.

Finally he limped down the hallway to the kitchen where he could see his little boy sitting at the table eating something. As his Tadda got closer, Walter looked up and smiled.

Although his mocha skin came from Lisa, along with the dark cascade of dark curls, it was obvious that this little cherub was Ianto's spawn.

"Hey stinkpot!" Ianto leaned over carefully for a kiss and was rewarded with a banana-smelling smooch.

"Good morning sleepyhead." An American twang made Ianto freeze halfway from straightening up and he stared at Jack, who sat there for all the world like he belonged.

"Hello Jack," Ianto tried for a polite smile.

"He stopped by to see ya!" Rhia explained, and Ianto frowned at her for being so obvious as she checked out Jack's rear yet again!

"Nice robe." Jack pointed with his toast as the raspberry jam flew off the end to land with a wet splat on the tablecloth.

"Thank you. My baby bought it for me." Ianto eased into a nearby chair and made grabby motions at the cup his sister was waving in front of him. Bliss!

"Oh, well she has good taste. Matches your eyes." Jack offered his mug for a refill and Ianto took a moment to wonder what he meant.

"Oh. No - Walter. My baby boy," Ianto finally got the confusion sorted.

"Oh. When you said …" Jack shrugged, then winked at Walter, who sat watching them both.

"No. Just Walter. No … er no she. No her. Nobody with dibs." Ianto blushed as his sister gaped.

"So if you were in need of a trip to the cinema this Friday night I might be able to provide transport, tickets and even some food without stepping on anyone's toes?" Jack said like he was discussing a business proposal.

"Are… are you asking me out on a date?" Ianto choked into his coffee cup.

"Yes, I'm calling dibs. Are you accepting?" Jack gave up the pretence and looked Ianto fully in the eye.

"Bloody hell!" Rhia exclaimed with mirth.

"So let me get this straight." Ianto leaned back and ignored his hip. "You are picking me up whilst I'm nearly at death's door and expect me to get a chill in a draughty old building like the local Cinema?"

It was Jack's turn to gape until he saw a gleam in Ianto's eye.

"Well there will be a doctor on hand should you need medical assistance, because Owen is bringing his latest bit of fluff and I can assure you-" Jack leaned closer- "I know mouth to mouth."

"Oh my God," Rhia exclaimed again from the bench.

Ianto let a small chuckle escape and found himself drawn to this lovely man who smelt like cinnamon donuts by the seaside. Ianto leant forward to make a quip about being a bit of fluff.

"Do you always smell that good?" came out of Ianto's mouth before he had time to censor himself.

Jack slapped his thigh and reared back as he laughed, big booming gales of laughter that had Walter joining in.

"Do you always look this edible in the mornings?" Jack finally managed to hiccup.

"Don't know. You might need to find out for yourself." Ianto slapped his hand over his mouth with horror at that one. Where the hell did that come from?

"Oh baby, I bet you always look so fine," Jack simpered as he reached for Ianto's hand.

"You are a naughty man!" Ianto growled, pretending to be alarmed, but Walter's snort had them both laughing again.

"Jack not bad man. He funny!" the little boy informed the room before sliding off his chair to toddle off.

"You think so, Wally?" Ianto called after him.

Leaning over slightly, Ianto could see Walter as his little nappy arse wobbled back through the house towards the TV room, the cheeky monkey.

….


	4. oops

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Italics are Tosh's thoughts

Ianto was unsure which outfit to wear and had everything strewn across his bed, looking like a bomb had exploded in his wardrobe and flung the debris back into the room. Tosh was so amused by this uncharacteristic display of nerves that she couldn't stop giggling. Stop it, he'll hear you.

"Are you going to help me or just sit there like a bloody fool?" Ianto snapped.

Tosh knew he didn't mean it and didn't take his snarls to heart. He was so nervous that it hadn't occurred to him that his towel had fallen off and he was parading around naked in front of her.

She struggled to refrain from shielding her eyes at his manhood swinging about. Nah. Not really. Nice view actually.

The scar forming on his hip still looked angry but his limp was less noticeable now as he strode back and forth in front of the bed in a parody of a soldier marching to parade. Attention!

"I liked the last three, Yan." She giggled again as he whipped around to look at her, his semi-erect penis following the rest of him half a beat later. Hello there, Mr Big Winky Monster.

"Yeah, but which would Jack like?" he sighed, looking at the mess with falling enthusiasm.

Ianto had one hand reaching for the back of his neck, the other on his hip as he surveyed the warzone. God, where's the phone … ah. Just one quick snap of THAT!

"Jack?" She smiled. "Thinking about him?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Our first date, this. He's so … you know."

Frustrated again, he stormed over to the bed and started sorting through the carnage with a frown.

"No, I mean …" Tosh giggled, pointing at his groin. "Thinking about him?"

"Jesus H Christ Almighty on a Harley!" Ianto screamed as he finally noticed the lack of towel.

Tosh collapsed into the mound of clothes in fits of laughter that hurt her sides as Ianto continued to roar and fling his arms about with horror. He hadn't noticed the phone, the click of the camera function, or the fact that she had sent it to Jack.

Jack, who about now was probably wondering what Ianto was texting him for this close to their date. Surprise!

Ianto threw himself on the bed to cover his growing excitement at the thought of being near Jack, and forgot about his naked bum.

The crack of her palm across his rear cheek was loud and he squealed from the shock of the sudden onslaught.

"Tosh!" he screamed, reaching for something to cover himself.

As he stood glaring at her, she collapsed again into gales of laughter. He looked down and groaned. Yes well, a string vest wasn't really going to hide that, was it?

"Stop it you bloody cow!" he roared before collapsing with mirth beside her.

"God, what's he doing to me?" he moaned into her hair as they gasped and giggled.

"Not as much as he hopes to," she retorted with tears rolling down her face.

"Argh!" Ianto rolled onto his back then remembered again, glaring at her as her eyes tracked his movement.

"You need a fella!" he admonished.

"Well, I know you're not gonna share! Not this one!" she shot back, then realised what she'd said.

"No. Not this one Toshi," Ianto sighed and all merriment left the room as he remembered the last time someone thought he would share.

The bed he had found her and the man he had never met in had been burned in the local tip and he wondered if she ever knew him at all. Lisa.

My lovely Betta Heart full of elves is so patient with my dramatic over dramatizing a scene so I'm pleased she didn't find this one too descriptive. I LOVE MY BETTA WHO WORKS HARD TO MAKE MY STORY READ WELL.


	5. reay for the ball?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Walter is being a bad nappy-bum

Although it had been nearly a week since the mugging, four days since Ianto had agreed to the date, Jack was still waiting for him to say no.

When a wolf-whistle from his phone announced a text, he reluctantly looked at the screen.

Ianto.

Jack sighed and opened the text, ready for a let-down.

Thought you may like the view I have

Tosh "-)'

Jack stared at the phone and then nervously opened the attachment.

Oh.

His legs turned to jelly and his knees folded. He landed back on the bed as he continued to stare at the small photograph on the screen.

Oh. My. God.

Jack enlarged the photo to see his face clearly. The way the light hit his left cheek… his cheekbones were to die for.

Jack rolled to his front and moved the picture so he could see his lips. Pursed, wet. Had he just licked them? His hair is wet - so he's just showered - and the soft curl that wraps around his ear is gorgeous.

Man, talk about gone. Obsessing over a curl?

Jack wondered what to do first. Reply? Save to cloud backup? Send as e-mail to his personal files?

He settled for another shower first, hoping to stave off his excitement so he didn't embarrass himself too much if Ianto gave him that look while they were in public.

He made a mental note to watch that Tosh – she was a minx and a playful one at that.

.

.

.

As Jack pulled up outside Ianto's house, he wondered again if Ianto were having second thoughts.

The bouncing face at the window was small and excited; well, someone was happy to see him.

Jack exited the vehicle and leant back in to retrieve the small parcel he had placed on the passenger seat before starting this evening's journey.

Walter was standing at the open door as he walked through the gate, and Jack smiled at the sight. A nappy that was half falling off had Walter holding it with one hand as he grinned up at Jack, waving with the other hand so fiercely it might fly right off.

"Walter get your flappy nappy bum in here and have your bath or Tadda is never going it make it to the ball on time." A welsh baritone drifted out the door. Ianto.

Jack scooped the mite up and wandered in, remembering the layout from his last two visits.

He carried Walter into the bathroom and got a glorious view of a Welsh arse, wiggling about in charcoal grey trousers as Ianto leant over the bath to turn off the taps.

"Did you find the hellion spawn of the devil, Rhia?" Ianto growled as he turned to face the doorway.

They stared at each other and then Jack smiled. Ianto remembered he could move, and reached for the boy, but Jack was already starting to kneel.

"Wanna show me your bath toys, bug?" Jack asked as he undid the nappy.

Walter giggled and clapped his hands, trying to get to the water.

"Typical! Runs like a frightened rabbit when I say the "B" word and then can't wait to get in when you say "Toy"," Ianto laughed as he lifted Walter up and into the bubbles.

"Hey, he's a lover not a fighter, aren't you bunny bum," Jack laughed as Walter lay down in the bubbles, looking over his shoulder at said bum.

"No Bunny Bum! Big Bum!" he declared with authority and two baritones laughed, booming off the tiled walls.


	6. counting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date night commences

As Walter started to struggle to keep his eyes open, Jack closed the book.

"Come on wee man, that was book number three. You've gotta be tired by now," Jack whispered.

Ianto had tried to warn him, telling him to choose a book and not agree to a second book or he would be dead meat.

Walter muttered something that sounded suspiciously like the word "sucker" as he settled into his bedding.

"Did he just call me a sucker?" Jack whispered to Ianto, who was watching from the doorway.

"No. His sucky. A dummy that he only asks for at bedtime. I had hoped that it was a thing of the past as he's not asked for it in over a month, but the mugging really shook things up," Ianto explained.

"How old is he now?" Jack asked quietly, walking towards Ianto.

"Nearly three," Ianto grinned.

"Ah. Well they know a lot more than they let on and at this age they really suck up their parent's emotions." Jack leant down and kissed Walter's head.

Ianto thought it was the loveliest thing he had ever seen.

They walked together down the hall and into the kitchen to find Rhia shaking a small box the size of a packet of jelly.

"What have you got there, sissy?" Ianto frowned.

"Jack put this on the table, sorry." Rhia had the good grace to blush.

"Not to worry, it's for you!" Jack informed her with a blinding smile.

"Oh!" she squealed, jumping up and down.

"Ah, so that's where Walter gets it from." Ianto frowned at her and she poked out her tongue.

"You didn't have to," she gushed as she tore it open.

"You're babysitting so Yan can go to the ball." Jack smiled and Ianto groaned.

"You heard that, did you?" Ianto sighed.

"You are so emotional, aren't you?" Jack smiled again.

"You are so … so damned smiley!" Ianto countered, causing Jack to laugh.

Rhia exclaimed with joy as she opened the box and revealed a pair of pink stone earrings.

"You picked her colour alright," Ianto grinned as she squealed with pleasure.

"It's not hard; does she wear anything else?" Jack leant in to whisper.

Ianto turned his head and they were so close their noses touched.

"Our first kiss!" Jack gasped.

"What?" Ianto gaped.

"Eskimo kisses count!" Jack crowed.

.

.

.

Ianto continued to argue that it hadn't counted as the first kiss as Jack held the door of the SUV open.

As Jack's laugher and Ianto's drone of annoyance drifted across the road, the figure standing in the alleyway shifted a step closer


	7. Doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some are opened and some are just open

Owen was a no show and Jack was more than a little grateful for the added intimacy of just them as he led Ianto towards their seats.

The ride in had been a mixture of sweet and sassy. Jack now knew it had not just been the prescribed drugs that had made Ianto amusing - he had a natural humour about him that Jack couldn't get enough of.

The seatbelt had caught and Ianto's quip as Jack struggled to free him about "50 Shades of Grey possibly being the movie if this is the treatment I'm going to receive" had Jack giggling like a school girl as they joined the line.

Now they were inside and seated, Jack wished he'd had the balls to hold his hand during that short walk and wondered if Ianto would have let him. He'd like to think he would have.

He was surprised that Tosh had not been there to meet him at Ianto's but Ianto had explained that her grandmother was unwell and Tosh liked to read to her in the evenings. Jack mentally reassessed his views of Tosh. Perhaps she was not just a playful minx. Ianto spoke about her with true affection.

After much debate, Jack had settled on an action/thriller, hoping Ianto would feel more comfortable with that choice rather than something scary or soppy. As they were still newly acquainted, Jack had not got a clean take on Ianto's taste and when the movie began and The Rock stormed across the screen to kick ass, Jack gave a sigh of relief as Ianto cheered with the rest of he audience.

The popcorn and sweets Jack had purchased were long gone and the soda nearly expired when the movie reached its climax. Jack had his arm resting across the back of Ianto's seat and was wondering if it would be too cliché to drop it onto his date's slumped shoulders as Ianto leant back against the seat. The booming gun on screen made Ianto stiffen and gasp as a flashback hit him.

Shit! Barely a week since being shot, all be it a deep graze, and I take him to a shoot-em up? Idiot!

Jack held Ianto as he quietly shook and tried to get a grip. Ianto kept saying sorry and it just made Jack angrier with himself. Finally Jack motioned that they were leaving.

They walked back to the car in silence, and after Jack closed Ianto's door he took a moment behind the vehicle to slap himself for being so stupid. Ianto watched Jack standing behind the vehicle and face palming in the side mirror.

They drove towards the outer suburbs and Ianto kept stealing glances at Jack until he couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"I've ruined it, haven't I?" Ianto asked softly, staring out of the darkened SUV.

"What? No!" Jack spluttered as he drove, glancing over to see the Welshman slumped in his seat.

"I feel so silly, being scared at a bloody action movie. Said movie with The Rock in it, for goodness sake," Ianto sighed.

"Yes, well, possibly finding him in your bedroom in the dead of night could be a bit emotional but I'm not entirely sure if fear is the right emotion to pick," Jack conceded, and Ianto finally smiled. Score.

By the time Jack was pulling the SUV to the curb, Ianto was animated again, telling Jack what Walter had said when he'd heard Jack was taking him out.

When Ianto said he still had the picture of Walter cheering on his phone, Jack almost said how much he liked his pictures sent from his phone.

As they walked up the path, Jack took a chance and slipped his hand around Ianto's, who stopped talking and blushed. To Jack's joy he squeezed back then hung on.

At the door, Ianto turned for the obligatory offer of a drink or kiss goodnight but Jack was looking over Ianto's shoulder. Jack's eyes narrowed and Ianto opened his mouth to ask him if everything was okay

Jack reached for a gun that wasn't there as he was off duty, then pulled Ianto off the stoop so Ianto was back in the walkway behind him.

"Jack?" Ianto was confused by this, as dates didn't usually end for him with a bit of manhandling.

"The door's open," Jack hissed, patting his pockets for his phone.

Ianto gasped and pushed past Jack into the house so quickly that Jack didn't have time to register it. With a muttered curse, he followed Ianto into the dimly lit house.

Rhia was in the kitchen. She had fallen at an angle, and judging from the chair pulled out she had been struck from behind while seated at the table. Jack pulled Ianto back to assess her as he barked down his phone that she was unconscious but had good vitals. Ianto was up and running again as he screamed Walter's name. Jack gasped with dread. Damn it all, Walter!

Jack surged to his feet and followed Ianto to Walter's room, where he found Ianto weeping by his slumbering tot who hadn't been woken by Ianto's cries of his name.

Jack sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Ianto into his arms. Ianto folded against him and Jack kissed him softly, pouring all the comfort he could into it.

"Jack," Ianto whispered into his neck, "I'm scared."


	8. scared

Rhia had been bundled into an ambulance and Ianto had been relieved when she'd started to regain consciousness.

Although she was confused she was able to confirm to Jack that she had sat down to wait for the kettle to boil and that was the last thing she remembered.

Ianto had called her husband so he could meet the ambulance at the hospital, and Jack kicked himself for not even knowing that she was married. Why had he not asked these questions?

When Ianto told the person on the other end of the phone that the neighbours might take the kids, Jack realised she was a mother as well.

Ianto was so quiet and still as he sat curled up in the corner of his big sofa, hugging his little boy to his chest like he was about to be taken away from him, that Jack could barely contain his anger.

Jack was unsure if anything had been taken as he was still new to the house and Ianto was too shocked to move, so he had taken Ianto's phone and called Tosh, who had come bursting through the door soon after the call shouting Ianto's name.

She threw herself onto the sofa and pulled the stricken man into her arms, Walter nodding sleepily against his shoulder.

"Toshi, someone hurt my Rhi-rhi," Ianto whispered as he shook in her arms.

She looked at Jack with rage at her friend's condition and he joined them, sitting on the arm as Ianto shifted to lean back against him.

"Tosh, could you have a quick look around and see if you can see anything out of place?" Jack asked and was satisfied with her nod as she rose to inspect the house.

Jack watched his colleagues as they dusted, catalogued and made notes. This was the first time he'd felt like a victim and been the one being examined and it did not feel good at all.

Ianto had stopped shaking and was now dozing off against Jack, who was absently rubbing his back with one hand while talking with Gwen, who had come to help when the call went out even though she was off duty. The adrenaline wearing off had this effect on Ianto, as Jack had learnt last time.

Jack had never advertised his bisexuality and couldn't help but wonder what some of them thought as they wandered around watching him comfort Ianto. He then realised that he didn't care what they thought. With this revelation he leant down, kissing Ianto as he sighed in Jack's embrace.

Tosh had returned in time to witness the snog, and grinned as she watched Ianto be so uncharacteristically affectionate in public. She knew Ianto was hoping for more than friendship by the way he had panicked through the outfitting for the date, but to actually see them together was a bit surprising - not even Lisa got public kisses, and here was Ianto snogging a man in his living room while strangers paraded through his house.

Tosh confirmed that she saw nothing out of place and could see nothing missing.

Jack decided Ianto had suffered enough for one night when he realised that Ianto had fallen asleep against him, and declared the crime scene closed. Tosh and Gwen helped shoo people out as he took the little bub from Ianto's arms and carried Walter down to the master bedroom. Placing him in the middle of the bed with pillows, he then walked back to the main room where Ianto was still asleep.

Reminded of their first time on that sofa, Jack smiled as he once again carried Ianto into the bedroom to place him beside the snoozing tot. Then, after a moment's indecision, he removed his boots and joined them on the other side of Walter.

Just for a few minutes, Jack told himself as he drifted off. Gotta keep them safe.

Ianto woke in the night disorientated and afraid until he realised a hand was gripping his own across his baby's chest.

The smell of cinnamon donuts by the seaside filled Ianto's senses, and even as he drifted off he smiled into the darkness. Jack


	9. caller

In the days following the home invasion, Jack found reasons to call in to check on the little family.

First, he'd noticed the milk was running low.

The next day, he saw a book in a store as he passed and knew Walter didn't have this one in the series.

He was just going to fix that squeaky board on the back steps tonight.

Finally Ianto politely asked Jack if he had a home or had he lost it in a high-stakes gambling den.

Jack took the hint and spent that night at his place, much to Janet's delight.

Janet the black moggie.

Janet the obesely fat moggie, who at this moment was chewing on Jack's maiden hair fern on the sideboard while he tried to read the paper.

"Janet! Bad girl!" Jack threw the paper and she watched with a disinterested air as it landed with a fluttery splat three feet from her.

With a leap from the sideboard to the floor that sounded like an elephant falling without a parachute, she stalked towards the back door hoping her arse on display as she wobbled along was enough to transmit her distaste at his stupidity.

Janet regarded her stupid feeder still sitting at the table and yelled for freedom.

Jack groaned as he rose to let her out, admonishing her for fighting with next door's ginger.

As he let her out, he stared into the dark and worried about Ianto and Walter.

.

.

.

Ianto had put Walter to bed and was now sitting in bed reading a thriller.

Every now and then he glanced at the other side of the bed; he hadn't realised how huge the bed was until he was alone.

Although he and Jack hadn't had sex yet, he felt more attached to him than he had the last bed mate. He had wound up cuddled up here with Walter between them as they lay in silence each night like it was the most natural thing in the world, comfortable without the need to spoil the silence with chatter.

He wondered what Lisa would make of this.

If her family had known he was bisexual when they had tried to take Walter, would they have tried to use that to their advantage? He was glad the courts had already awarded him full custody because he was did not want to see that family ever again.

When they lost the court case, Lisa's mother had screamed at him across the courtroom that he was dead to them, and "that bastard child, whosever he was".

That had hurt. He and Lisa had agreed on one thing and that was the conception of his little cherub. How could they deny this was his son?

As Ianto looked over at the empty side of the bed once more, he made a decision to call Jack, but as he reached for the phone, it rang.

"Hello?" he answered, hoping it was Jack.

Silence.

"Hello? Can I help you?" Ianto tried again to get an answer.

Whoever was on the other end hung up and a dial tone prompted him to hang up too.

Ianto stared at the phone like it was a snake on the blankets, then jumped as it rang a second time.

"Hello?"

Silence again.

Ianto hung up this time and had turned his phone on its side to turn it off when it rang for a third time.

He dropped it and fumbled with it before accidentally hitting the end-call button.

Now he was angry. He rose from the bed and threw the phone across the room where it bounced against the back of the armchair in the corner.

With a mutter about fools he referred to in welsh as Twpsyns, he climbed back into bed, then sighed.

He climbed out of the bed again and went into his son's room. He scooped the sleeping tot out of his bed then carried him through to deposit him onto Jack's side of the bed.

Jack's side? Where did that come from?

A brisk knock to the back door made Ianto bark with fear and he jumped.

He reached into the bedside table and pulled out the lockbox. With shaking hands he removed the handgun he had purchased the day before and he stole down the hallway towards the banging. Don't wake Walter.

Ianto opened the door with the gun raised only to find Jack standing there with his hand raised to knock again.

When Ianto hadn't answered his call then hung up on him, Jack had grown worried; now, as he stared down the barrel of a gun, he wondered what he had stepped into.

"Jack!" Ianto cried, falling into his arms.

When Jack got the story of the silent calls he had Gwen trace them but nothing was able to be found. Throw away phones that were untraceable.

As Jack settled onto the bed, he vowed not to let anything happen to this family  
.  
.

The screen showed a black and white image from the corner of Ianto's room, and as sleep caught up with the two men cuddling on the bed, the click of a computer mouse changed the scene to Walter's room, where the Tot now dozed. As the image flickered, the shadow thrown from the watcher shifted from foot to foot


	10. Myfanwy

Since that weird night two days ago, Ianto had found himself unable to concentrate. Now he stood in the lift on his way to Jack's office with a box of cupcakes he and Walter had made. God, I hope Jack likes chocolate.

As Ianto stepped forward to exit the lift, a huge dark dog pushed past him and a man ran towards them shouting urgently for Ianto to hold the doors.

Ianto could only stare at the huge beast as the floor slid shut on the muffled curse of the dog's pursuer.

"Hello there. Aren't you a beauty?" Ianto smiled down at the monster who stood waist high to Ianto. The huge head was square and solid. Eyes of liquid gold regarded its trapped audience.

The two officers squashed into one corner were trying to unclip their holsters, and Ianto frowned at them with confusion.

The doors opened again, and the handler stood panting with an equally excited Jack standing beside him.

"Jesus Ianto, get out of there. Look at the size of that bull mastiff!" Jack spluttered as he stared at the dog who took up most of the lift.

"The Cane Corso is a catch dog traditionally used with cattle and swine, and also in wild boar hunts. Cane Corso were used to guard property, livestock and families, and some continue to be used for this purpose today. Historically it has also been used by night watchmen, keepers, and, in the past, by carters as a drover. In the more distant past this breed was common all over Italy as an ample iconography and historiography testify. Obviously they are brilliant at capture and hold in an attacker situation," Ianto spouted like the encyclopedias he read so often, "I had a lovely brindle girl called Helga when I was growing up."

"What?" Jack was stunned by Ianto's excitement as he ran his hands over the dog's flanks.

"This is a blue Cane Corso with cropped ears. I bet you love eating bad guys, don't you Miss Big Scary Monster Girl?" Ianto had been reduced to baby talk that even Walter was not subjected to in front of Jack, and the dog responded with slobbery pants of pleasure.

"I don't believe it. She bloody likes you!" the handler gasped.

"Why wouldn't she? They are wonderful creatures, yes you are. Oh, my lovely fair lady, yes you are!" Ianto crooned, and the dog groaned with delight as Ianto's fingers kneaded her sharply-pointed ears.

"Myfanwy, that's her name. You want to try getting this leash on her?" The handler flicked a leash at him and the dog flinched.

Ianto looked up at the man and frowned. These dogs were not usually prone to flinching unless they were mishandled.

Another handler approached, and swore as he saw Myfanwy in the lift with Ianto.

"Who bloody well let that monster out of her holding pen?" the second handler demanded.

"Excuse me, who owns this lady?" Ianto asked as he straightened up.

"Her handler was killed in a shootout a few months ago and she won't respond to a new handler," he was told.

"Well, they do mourn quite strongly. Brilliant animals," Ianto enthused as he leant forward and kissed Jack lightly.

"Come!" Ianto slapped his thigh and walked from the lift entrance towards Jack's office. To everyone's surprise, the dog dutifully followed so closely that her head was barely a hair's breadth from Ianto's fingertips.

"Hello Jack, Walter and I made cupcakes." Ianto waved the box with a flourish then had an afterthought. "Sit!"

The beast sat.

"Shit! Want a dog?" the handler asked hopefully.

"What?" Ianto looked at the beast and considered. It would be safer than the gun Jack had confiscated with exaggerated care.

"Doesn't she need to go with a police officer?" Ianto asked as he frowned at Jack, who was pushing a whole cupcake into his mouth with moans of pleasure.

"What?" Jack choked at Ianto.

"Nothing, dear!" Ianto said with syrupy sweetness.

"She's not able to be rehomed as all our handlers have dogs and retired dogs usually go to their handlers. As hers is gone we will probably put her down." The handler shrugged as he eyed Ianto with supressed hope.

"Jack?" Ianto raised an eyebrow.

Jack was surprised that Ianto wanted his opinion, and felt a flush of pleasure.

"Well, she does like you, but what about Walt?" Jack asked.

"Nah! He'll love her. Been asking for a pony for ages!" Ianto deadpanned as the handler let out a sigh of relief.


	11. Settling in

Myfanwy settled into the house like a duck to water. Well, to Walter, to be precise. She saw the small man as her responsibility and took to following him everywhere with adoring eyes.

Rhiannon was understandably shocked when she first met the beast but quickly mellowed as she watched Walter eating a sandwich and carefully removing the crusts with his little fingers to feed the dog, who never once touched his fingers with her teeth.

Now a month had gone by and a daily pattern had emerged.

Jack called in after he'd been to the gym each morning. If he'd stayed overnight he forwent the gym to have extra time with Walter. Jack ate a cooked breakfast with Walter and Ianto then, after a chaste kiss, he headed to work. After work he would call in to check on them and sometimes stay for an evening meal. Each weekend he stayed overnight. Although they still hadn't had sex, they felt like a family.

Jack didn't want to rush Ianto, who was set in his ways and still adjusting to a new possible family member, but he secretly hoped they would be more intimate by the end of the month when Walter's third birthday came around and Jack had to meet the rest of the Jones clan.

Jack wondered how the day had gone as he walked up the steps to knock on Ianto's front door. Walter had a sniffle that morning so Ianto had stayed home and the multiple texts throughout the morning only confirmed the worst: a cold. Jack had started to ignore them after the third text about the colour of his snot.

The door opened before his knuckles could rap on it and a heavy bundle was thrust into his arms.

"Quick, the spaghetti sauce is burning! You're late," Ianto barked as he turned back into the hallway.

As Jack stepped over the threshold he looked into the fluffy blanket and sad pools of chocolate peered back.

"Oh Walter. You are sick, you poor wee man," Jack consoled with a soft kiss to Walter's forehead.

A warm forehead. Jack placed his cheek against the wee tot's face and decided it was very hot.

"Do we have any liquid paracetamol?" Jack asked as he walked into the kitchen, where Ianto flittered about with a tea towel, flapping at the pots.

"He's just had a dose, I don't know what else to do for him. He's always such a hot potato when he's sick," Ianto replied as he drained the spaghetti.

Jack pulled out a chair and settled the wee man in his lap, pulling back the blanket as the boy whined at the loss of heat.

"Feel cold baby?" Jack asked, and his worry grew as he tucked the blanket back around Walter's back.

"Ianto, he has a fever; do you think we should call a doctor?" Jack asked.

"Teething! Jack, his molars are giving him grief on top of the cold. Been at the doctors since two this afternoon - didn't you get my text?" Ianto was flustered and turned to face Jack with his hands on his hips.

Damn! So hot, Mr Jones. Ianto's hair had curled with the steam and a light sheen of sweat on his top lip made him positively edible to Jack's eyes.

"I was assured by the doctor that he'll be fine," Ianto finished, turning to finish dishing up the meal.

"Can I call Owen for a second opinion? Just for my silly old piece of mind?" Jack asked, not wanting to offend Ianto.

"Yes, whatever. God, I'm so tired!" Ianto sighed as a plate of perfectly cooked pasta was placed in front of Jack and a smaller one beside it for Walter.

Jack looked up with surprise as Ianto handed Walter a fork without seating him in his own chair.

"He wants you. Has been asking for you for the last hour so I don't think he'll let you put him down for at least another hour, Captain," Ianto growled as Jack watched the tot twirl the fork in the spaghetti like a professional.

Jack tasted his own plate of food and let out a groan of pleasure.

"Is it alright?" Ianto smiled as he sat to eat his own portion. "Bug's favourite food when he's poorly."

"God, Ianto, you should have been a chef. This is wonderful," Jack enthused as Ianto rose to get another serving for Jack's rapidly emptying plate.

Walter had decided his tummy was full and sighed into Jack's shoulder. Jack looked down to watch the boy nodding off to sleep and then looked over the top of his head at the dog staring defiantly at him.

"Yan? I though we agreed she'd stay out of the kitchen?" Jack frowned.

"Won't leave him. Besotted, the poor girl. What can I say? It's the Jones charm," Ianto preened, and Jack laughed.

Ianto scraped his plate into a large bowl, then added Walter's. To Jack's surprise, Ianto then dropped it on the floor in front of the dog, who eagerly wolfed it down.

"She loves people food. Don't worry, nothing in spaghetti to upset her!" Ianto hastened to add as the garlic bread incident the night before was still quite fresh, so to speak. Or smell.

After a warm bath for Walter that was provided by Jack as Ianto washed up, the wee man was put to bed in his favourite PJs with the Despicable Me minions dancing all over the fabric. Jack didn't even need to open a book as the poor baby was asleep before Jack had finished tucking him in.

Owen was phoned and he demanded a temperature check be done. The ear thermometer confirmed he was sick but not overly hot. Jack was mollified by Owen's admonishment for overreacting, but knew he wouldn't sleep unless he knew for sure that the wee man was okay. He'd wanted the baby in the big bed but Ianto insisted Walter be in his own bed as he was so hot and would keep him awake otherwise.

Myfanwy settled by the cot and Jack frowned again. He left the room to hunt down Ianto.

"Hey, I thought we agreed she would sleep in the garage at night." Jack began the conversation as he found Ianto getting ready for bed, brushing his teeth in the bathroom.

"Excuse me?" Ianto snapped as he slammed down the toothbrush in the sink, finally sick of the whole day.

"That dog needs to learn boundaries. What if we want a night off? Do you think a babysitter wants that slobbering mutt-" he wavered as Ianto's thunderous glare met him through the mirror.

"A night off? And what the fuck is this royal "we" business?" Ianto snarled, turning to face Jack.

Jack saw that he had miscalculated and took a step toward Ianto to pacify him.

"My son is not a bloody chore we take a night off from. Jesus H Christ, we've only known each other for a few months and I don't need you trying to run my life! I'm fucking it up very nicely on my own thank you very much!" he continued to rant as Jack took a step back instead.

"Ianto, I didn't mean to step on your toes, it's just that that dog-" Jack could have bitten his tongue as Ianto's eyes flashed with anger.

"That dog is the only thing that pleased him today. My little baby is sick and I've been all alone with him. Every time I tried to put him down he cried, so I've carried him everywhere and believe you me mister, he's getting heavy. You know the car's in the shop for the brakes failing on me the other day but I've taken him to the doctors on the bus, had to take the bloody bus over to the other side of town from the doctor's office to get to the chemist with him grizzling and everyone looking at me like I was a bad parent when it was obvious that he's sick!" Ianto roared.

Jack held his hands up and tried to look contrite but Ianto was on a roll.

"Then I had to wait for nearly an hour in the cold with him for the bus home and now you come home and start picking like I'm too bloody stupid to care properly for my son!" Ianto ran out of steam and took a breath to calm himself.

Looking back on the argument, Jack knew he could have chosen his next words much better, but in the heat of the moment he railed straight back.

"Well I could have helped if you let me - I do care for Walter. I would have driven you both to the doctor's office and the chemist. At least then I'd know what the doctor said. God knows what bugs he's picked up off those bloody buses!" Jack snarled.

"How dare you! Check your fucking phone before you accuse me of not contacting you then you would have seen my unanswered texts asking you for fucking help and as for the comment about the doctor's diagnosis, who the fuck do you think you are!" Ianto was shaking with rage. "Get the fuck out of my house!"

"What?" Jack gasped with his eyes growing wide.

"You heard me, you sanctimonious twat. If my parenting skills suck so much maybe you need to find another readymade family with less work needed to control the little woman." Ianto had stormed to the back door as Jack meekly followed hanging his head.

As they both stood staring at the slammed door, one inside and the other outside, they both wondered the same thing. What the hell just happened?  
.  
.  
.

The click of the mouse showed Walter still asleep in his bed, the covers pulled up over his head with a tuft of hair poking out. The dog lay on the floor looking towards the door. Another click of the mouse changed the picture to the living room where Ianto sat with his head in his hands as his shoulders shook. He was crying.


	12. rescue me

Ianto woke with a start.

It had taken some time to fall asleep after the argument with Jack, and he'd lain in the dark bitterly regretting his temper long into the night.

Ianto had wept into his pillow like a heartbroken heroine after Jack left, then spent the next hour berating himself for being such a girl's blouse. Each word, each facial expression was analysed as Ianto tried to work out what had tipped him over the edge with Jack.

Was it the brakes? Jack had scoffed when Ianto said there was something wrong with the car's brakes and Ianto had taken it to the shop without his knowledge. When he'd informed Jack that the garage said the brake lines were damaged, he'd made a comment about older cars being less reliable.

Was it the familiarity with Walter? Was he jealous of the growing friendship between his son and Jack? The way Jack talked like he had a say in Walter's development?

Ianto had felt slighted. Pugnacious even. Then mollified after slamming the door like a drama queen. Now he felt childish. Taking his frustration of the day out on Jack had been such a shitty thing to do.

Ianto lay there for a few beats listening to the darkness of the room. What had woken him?

A noise like glass breaking made him jump. Then the smell hit his senses: smoke. God, fire!

Ianto leapt from the bed and rushed to the bedroom door. Trying to remember all he had seen on TV, he reached out and touched the door. Not hot.

He opened it and smoke began to fill the room. Ianto dropped to his hands and knees as he felt his way along the pitch black hall to Walter's room. Feeling around in the blankets, he searched for Walter, but after several precious minutes he realised the bed was empty.

As he exited the room, heading further down the hall, his hands met a foot, then a leg. WALTER!

Myfanwy was slowly crawling through the smoke towards the back door on her belly and every few inches she made forward, she reached back and used her teeth to pull the boy forwards by his clothing. Oh, my beautiful girl.

Ianto knew he was weeping as they all moved forward, but he also knew that each moment was a moment too long for his baby, who was breathing in the thick toxic smoke that swirled around them.

Finally, she stopped pulling. His baby was still. Ianto moved forwards, then met the backdoor with his hand.

He took a deep breath, then stood and unlocked the door, opening it to the cool outside air.

The roar of the fire gave him little chance of further thought to the damage it was causing their home as the backdraft flicked its tongue at him. The explosion threw him through the doorway where he fell onto the crisp dewy grass. Myfanwy pulled her charge from the house and carefully lifted her head higher so the collar in her teeth lifted the child's head higher as well. She pulled him over to lay him by his father, then sat beside her family.

As the night crept on across Cardiff, the deep booming bark of the Cane Corso echoed through the neighbourhood.


	13. please be OK

Jack had never driven so fast or recklessly as he did this horrible, endless night.

When the phone had woken him to the sound of Gwen's worried barks of fear he'd thought the world was ending.

A fire. Ianto was unconscious and Walter … God, he'd been too afraid to ask. When Andy had taken the phone from her and assured Jack that both Ianto and Walter were out of the blaze, safe and just suffering from smoke inhalation in the back garden, he had found the strength to leave his bed.

He swung his SUV into the small neighbourhood and was astounded by the amount of lights, people and activity apparent. The ambulance in the lane had the doors open, and Jack bit back a sob of relief.

He looked up at the house being drowned with water and supressing foam. Ianto was going to go spare at the mess they were making.

He exited the vehicle and took a moment to calm himself, but then he heard a familiar wail of distress. Walter!

Jack pushed easily through the crowd with authority learnt as an officer and quickly reached the ambulance to find the little boy fighting the paramedic inside.

"Wally? Stop it, it's okay baby," Jack soothed as he climbed aboard the ambulance, and Walter gave a scream of fear as he reached desperately for Jack.

Jack snatched the wriggling boy from the bed and sat cuddling him to his chest as he soothed him by rubbing his back.

"Are you family? Sorry sir but it's only next of-" the paramedic began but Jack stopped him mid speech with a look. The Harkness Stare.

"Where is my partner?" Jack asked quietly.

"Mr Jones? You are Mr Jones' partner?" the man spluttered at Jack.

"Do you have a problem with that?" Jack snarled, clutching the still wailing tot like he was a life preserver in a stormy sea.

"No sir, not at all," the poor man blustered. "Mr Jones is still being treated around the back."

"Oh God!" Jack groaned, and then he saw Tosh amongst the onlookers.

"TOSH! There's my sister, Toshiko. You must let her through!" Jack demanded, "She's adopted for Christ's sake!"

Tosh was allowed into the ambulance.

"Hey little sister, can you take our boy while I check out how Ianto is doing?" Jack hoped she'd play along and her eyes gleamed with pleasure as she nodded then reached for Walter.

"Come to Aunty Tosh, bubba, Daddy Jack needs to check on Taddy," she said quietly as she pulled Walter to her bosom.

Jack walked around the side of the house trying to calm his heartbeat as he tortured himself with images of previous fire scenes he had attended in his job where burn victims had been still there. Please be okay.

Ianto was laid out on the grass with a mask over his sooty face. His hands were visible and neither were bagged in plastic. Jack was thankful as this meant he was probably not badly hurt. Coming to the side of the flurry of human activity, he saw a hand move.

In a heartbeat, Jack was holding that hand as tightly as he could. Ianto's eyes blinked open and blearily stared up at Jack. Jack kissed Ianto's knuckles and murmured to Ianto that Walter was with Tosh and was going to be fine. The relief in Ianto's eyes was obvious to all those watching the exchange.

Myfanwy lay by the rosebushes and Ianto's eyes widened with fear when he spotted her still form, so Jack hastily reassured him that she was fine as well. They had to call in animal control to sedate her as she wouldn't let anyone near the two fallen members of her pack.

When Jack referred to them as a pack, Ianto squeezed his hand again and Jack gave in to his tears as he wept into Ianto's hair.

.

.

.

The next morning, Owen found Jack asleep in the chair by Ianto's bed. Walter had been given a pair of hospital PJs and refused to leave Jack's arms, who now cuddled the tot in his arms as they both slept.

Ianto was watching the two sleep with a soft smile.

"Well, you look a bit better there buddy," Owen said, softly so as not to wake the two chair sleepers.

"Hey. My Wally's okay, right?" Ianto asked yet again.

Owen knew the concussion was making him repeat himself and his fixation with Walter was to be expected, so he simply nodded and tapped Jack's feet planted on the edge of the bed.

"Hey." Ianto smiled as Jack woke and focused on him.

With a cough to cover his dismay at the situation, Jack rose and carefully placed Walter in his Tadda's arms. Ianto wept and kissed his little boy's head as he reached again for Jack.

They kissed gently and Ianto held Jack's cheek as he apologised for the argument through his tears. Jack leant down and said the only thing he could.

"I love you, Ianto Jones."


	14. Janet meets Myfanwy

Jack nervously opened the door to his house and stepped aside as the lumbering Myfanwy beastie pushed her way past him and into the house.

"Fanny! Bad doggie!" Walter growled as he wriggled from Ianto's arms, eager to see the house himself.

Ianto plonked him onto his feet and he took off running after his dog with a whoop of glee.

"Are you sure this is alright? I mean, this is your home," Ianto said as something in the other room tumbled to the floor with a loud crash. "Shit, that sounded expensive!"

A black ball of fluff tore past with Myfanwy hot in pursuit. The dog met the doorframe to the hallway with a resounding thud. Now Jack swore.

"Janet, not the door, the cat flap is still-" a loud thump announced that Janet now knew the rest of the sentence as Jack finished it- "closed after your fight with Ginger last night."

Ianto's giggle was infectious and Walter followed the sound to find Ianto and Jack holding each other as they howled with laughter.

Janet had decided that the stupid monster couldn't jump, so she sat spitting delicately from the sideboard as the maidenhair fern perched precariously on the edge of the shelf.

Walter stood with his hands on his little hips and gave his best "Tadda" glare at the two animals and gave a very Ianto-like huff of annoyance, which only made the two men howl harder.

"Jack, I think I'm gonna wet myself," Ianto sobbed, and Walter turned and glared at them both.

"Well, you two are no help!" Walter growled. "Fanny is gonna get pussy!"

The cat proved the reverse of the sentence as she pushed the fern off the shelf so it hit Myfanwy on the head and Myfanwy roared at the cat as Janet flicked her fuzzed out tail.

"No! Oh God, Jack, help me!" Ianto shrieked with laughter. "Where the hell is the toilet?"

.

.

.

Rhiannon had been shocked when she'd entered the large, expensive house that was twice the size of Ianto's home.

It would be days before they could salvage anything but she had seen the damage from last night's fire from the gate. There would be very little they would be able to save. Smoke damage and the foam pumped in through the roof had collapsed the ceilings and it was such a mess that she despaired at the thought of Ianto's reaction when he saw his immaculate home in ruins.

The only positive she could see was the fact that it had pushed the two men beyond the awkward threshold of their relationship. Constant touches and looks and Jack's attentive fussing over Ianto and Walter calmed any fear she had harboured about their relationship.

She hadn't introduced Jack to her kids for fear that he wouldn't last, but now she was sure Ianto was gone, hook, line and sinker.

Walter was sitting in the living room on Ianto's lap watching the biggest TV screen she had ever seen.

Ianto was in a pair of too big PJs that must be Jack's, and Walter had on a brand new pair of fireman PJs that Jack had hurriedly purchased before collecting his two precious loves from the hospital.

It seemed Walter remembered much of last night, especially those cool hoses pumping water over the naughty fire.

The spoon of ice-cream was poised halfway to Walter's mouth as the dog on the screen turned to talk to the orange cat.

"See, Tadda? If we paint pussy orange Fanny will be her friend like Milo and Otis." Walter pointed at the screen with his spoon. The ice-cream slid off the spoon and landed on the floor, much to Myfanwy's delight.

"The cat is called Janet, bug, and please use Myfanwy's full name or Tadda will have to go to the toilet again," Ianto said distractedly as he frowned at the dog, who was licking the floor.

"Walter, please don't feed the monster," Jack sighed as he followed Rhiannon into the room.

"But Daddy, she's a growing girl!" he retorted, looking back to the screen.

Ianto snorted at the logic as Rhiannon's mouth fell open. Daddy?

"No, she will be a fat girl and a fat Myfanwy can't eat bad men if she can't chase them, snot!" Jack shot back, and Walter narrowed his eyes as he thought that one through.

"And pussy? A fat pussy can't get bad men either!" Walter finally declared.

"Depends on what she charges," Rhiannon said with glee as Ianto's eyes widened and his hand shot out to cover Wally's mouth.

"Bad Rhi-rhi!" Ianto hissed, and she giggled at Jack's eye roll that was a poor imitation of Ianto's.

"Daddy? Are there really bad men?" Walter said quietly, and Jack groaned at his choice of words.

"There are men who try to be bad but that's why there are policemen like me to stop them," Jack soothed the tot whose eyes stared him down. "Myfanwy was a police dog. She was a police officer too. Even has her own badge number."

Walter slid from the sofa to sit next to the dog who had stopped licking the floor and started on her own foot.

"My brave girl!" Walter kissed his dog's head as Ianto grimaced and thought of all the germs his son was picking up.


	15. tears at bedtine

It had been a week since the worst night of Jack's life, and the fire-ravaged house was now considered safe enough to start salvaging. Not that much could be salvaged from the house.

Jack had wanted to weep when he saw the wee man's room full of spoiled toys and waterlogged books. Walter loved his books.

Finding the stash of birthday gifts was heartbreaking, with nothing to do but toss them in the skip, their ribbons fluttering in the breeze. It was bad enough that the little tyke had missed his birthday party scheduled for the weekend after the fire, but to see all the streamers and flat balloons floating in the bottom of the closet was just horrible.

For the first time since that night, Jack had a moment to really look at the damage and imagine Ianto crawling through the dark following the monster dog and baby. That dog was a hero. Jack reminded himself that she deserved an extra big bone from the butcher's on the way home.

Ianto had informed Jack that he was never returning to that house. Never! Jack was relieved, as he didn't want to see Ianto's look of devastation at the wreckage.

Jack stood in the shell of the living room. Apparently this is where the fire started, and according to the fire investigator it was arson.

One might think this was the most worrying thing about the fire, but Jack found the revelation of the hidden cameras found in every room not damaged by the fire more of a worry by far.

The whole morning was spent pulling camera after camera from the house. The one in Ianto's bedroom angered him so much he walked around the block to control himself, but when he returned to find they had retrieved one from Walter's room, he was so incensed that nothing short of a brisk walk to England and back would burn out the fire in his gut.

Bastard. Sick murderous bastard. When Jack found this bastard he was going to cut their fucking balls off.

Gwen watched him pacing, and flicked her pad open to read her notes again.

So far she had narrowed down the list of potential suspects to Ianto's ex-partner and family, the mugger, or someone with a grudge against Jack that had finally found a weakness.

When Jack snatched the pad from her hands to read her notes, she swore quietly.

"Lisa's dead! The family disowned Walter!" he snarled, throwing the pad back at her.

"Are you sure? Not a brother or sister that might want Walter?" she offered her opinion, and stepped back as Jack rounded on her.

"If you dare… if you even fucking think of going to Ianto with this theory I'll rip you apart!" he snarled.

"Jack." Gwen placed a hand on his arm and felt him shaking under her touch. "I know you're upset. I see what this new family means to you. You are keeping them safe. You are not going to lose them like …"

"This is nothing like that!" Jack snapped, then he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'm sorry Gwen. God, I don't mean to snap at you. Just, bringing up Sofia and Melissa isn't helping here." Jack accepted her hand again. "This is not a bloody drunk driver and I never …"

Jack took a deep breath. "I never loved Sophia the way I adore Ianto. I was with Sofia for over six years and we both knew that most of those were for Melissa's sake. But it's barely been three months, and oh God, I love him so much."

"We'll sort it." Gwen nodded with as much confidence as she could muster.

.

.

.

That night, after a bubble bath and book number three had lulled Walter to sleep, Jack sat beside Ianto on their bed and told him everything.

He meant to tell Ianto about the cameras, the probability of arson, and all they had uncovered, but the moment he opened his mouth Sofia was there in the room, like an invisible wall in the bed between them.

He relived the horror of his wife's immediate death in the multi-car accident that took his family from him three years ago. The two weeks he had sat by his four-year-old daughter's bed as he prayed to a God he no longer believed in, only to bury her next to her mother in the cold, cold earth.

His self-blame for not being the one driving the car that day due to a court case he was giving evidence in.

He wept for perhaps the first time since his baby's funeral as his heart finally let go of the unneeded pain. Ianto loved him.

Ianto's hands were in Jack's hair and his lips on Jack's neck, as he loved him. Ianto's hands slid lower and into Jack's pyjama bottoms as Jack cried out with lust and pleasure.

When Ianto's finger breached Jack, the sobs were shaking his whole body. Then those fingers were replaced with Ianto's penis pushing into him, filling him and making his heart whole again. Ianto still loved him.

Finally, after so much time spent fearing this moment, Jack realised as Ianto's breath combined with his own that there was nothing left to fear.

Jack closed his eyes and concentrated on Ianto's chest hairs tickling his nipples. Ianto licked his neck before giving another nip from those teeth, loving him. It was all for him.

In the dark they become one. Ianto's breathy cries as he speared Jack were Jack's undoing, and he threw his head back as he came, shouting Ianto's name.

Ianto grunted as his thrusts became uncoordinated and his fingers slipped on Jack's thighs as he came, spilling into Jack as Jack's penis continued to pump between their bellies.

In Walter's room, the tot slept on as Myfanwy growled softly at the darkened window facing the backyard.  
.  
.  
.

Hunching down, the figure shuffled from the flowerbed outside the window and stole across the lawn to the back gate. Have to do something about that bloody dog.

 

…..


	16. Clearing the air

After dropping Walter off at Rhiannon's the next morning, Jack pulled the SUV into the carpark in Bute Park.

Ianto frowned, and turned to tell Jack they would be late for work, but hesitated when he saw Jack's face.

"Ianto, last night got away from me; I didn't mean for it to go that way." Jack was looking at his hands on the wheel so he didn't see Ianto blanch.

"I was going to talk to you about your house and-" Jack paused to take a breath and looked over at Ianto for the first time. "Ianto?"

Ianto was sitting bolt upright, staring out the windscreen a tear ran down his face.

"Ianto?" Jack repeated, reaching for Ianto's hand, but Ianto pulled away,

"You want us to move out?" Ianto said softly. "Well of course you do, it is your house after all and we've come in and-"

Jack silenced him momentarily by reaching for him, turning his face towards him, and kissing him.

"It's Walter calling you Daddy, isn't it? I didn't tell him to say that; I don't know why he started-" Another kiss for silence was warranted.

"I love you," Jack sighed. "No, I do not want you to move out. Ever!"

Ianto took a deep breath and gave a bark of laughter at his own stupidity for not giving Jack a chance to explain.

"I meant to say that I was going to talk to you about what was found by the fire investigator. I'm sorry I worded it that way. Jesus Ianto, do you really think I would ever let you out of my sight?" Jack growled, and Ianto smiled.

"Oh," Ianto finally said with his usual droll face, and Jack laughed.

"What's that word you use? For idiot?" Jack asked.

"Twpsyn," Ianto grinned.

"Ah, that's the one." Jack pulled him in for another kiss.

"So? What they found was…?" Ianto prompted Jack.

"Ah. Yes! Well." Jack struggled for the words and Ianto's gentle smile of encouragement gave him courage.

"There were hidden cameras in your house. Every room. Someone had been watching you and they were not old technology. This means they were recently put there." Jack tried to be factual and only Ianto's wide eyes betrayed his false bravado.

"Who would do this? Who could put those things in my home?" Ianto was so quiet Jack could barely hear him.

"I don't know but the police will want to talk to you. Get your story, ask if you know anyone who might have done it, who had keys, and things like that." Jack caught Ianto's hand and squeezed.

"I'm having my place swept for cameras and bugs while we're away this morning and a new state-of-the-art alarm system installed," he informed Ianto. "No-one is coming near you again!"

"Thank you Jack - what would I do without you?" Ianto smiled. "And Walter's birthday this weekend? God, all those presents hidden in our wardrobe are twice what were lost in the fire!"

"Apparently you would be safer without me, if the theory that this was an attempt to get to me is true." Jack frowned and rubbed his face with his free hand.

"Nonsense! I refuse to believe this is your fault, cariad," Ianto said firmly.

"So what is your theory?" Jack asked.

"Professor Mustard in the library with a candlestick," Ianto deadpanned.

Jack laughed, and spun the wheel as he moved the SUV forward. Whatever was coming, whoever was out there? Jack hoped they were ready for him, because he sure as hell was going to be ready for them.

Ianto and Walter can count on that!


	17. Happy Birthday Walter

The birthday party was in full swing and Jack couldn't find Ianto or Walter anywhere.

Gwen was in the kitchen laughing with Rhiannon at an old photo album they were looking through. Jack looked over their shoulders at the album lying open on the table and saw a little Ianto glaring at the camera.

"Oh my God, look at Walter in that glare!" Jack gasped as he pulled the album closer.

Rhiannon snorted and rolled her eyes in a perfect imitation of Ianto, and Jack faintly heard Myfanwy bark.

"Hark, the dulcet tones of a fog horn," Jack growled and left the two giggling women as he walked to the garage.

"I don't care! I want you to leave now!" Ianto was speaking quietly but Jack recognised the threat in his voice.

Rushing into the garage, Jack found Ianto facing off with a tall black man who was holding a brightly wrapped gift. Myfanwy stood between Ianto and the man, her teeth bared and the hair on her back raised in full attack mode.

"He's my nephew. I have a right to see him!" the man argued back.

"No. Read the fucking court documents and recognise the fact that Walter is mine. Your family gave up all rights to him. All your family!" Ianto snarled. "Fuck off Marcus!"

"She was my sister. My only sibling and now there is no one to carry our bloodline. Jesus Ianto, please. Just a look at him," Marcus begged.

"No one to carry your bloodline? No there isn't. He's a Jones, despite what acid your mother might spew about my paternity. If your wife is barren you can fucking well adopt." Ianto stepped back and threw a final comment over his shoulder, "A nice black one without impure white Welsh blood this time!"

"Ianto, please!" Marcus pleaded again.

"You heard my partner. I suggest you go before you have to deal with me as well. Ask around. Jack Harkness, Torchwood." Jack snarled into Marcus's face and he took a step back in shock as Jack leaned in so close he could kiss him. "Get the fuck off my property before I disappear you!"

"Fan, come!" Ianto barked and the dog switched off her attack mode and trotted up the steps and inside the house. The slam of the door was deafening.

"Yan? You okay?" Jack said softly, reaching for Ianto's shoulder.

"When that prick is off the property and far away from my son I'll be fine, cariad," Ianto returned pleasantly as he wandered down the hall towards Walter's room.

"Really? Did Tadda do any home movies?" a man was asking Walter quietly as they sat on the floor colouring in.

"Yep," Walter said with a nod, reaching for the green crayon.

The stranger was smiling down at him sweetly as he spoke. "Did Tadda ever put a camera up in-"

"Excuse me. Who are you and what are you doing?" Ianto spoke so calmly that he resembled an old English butler announcing high tea, and Jack stepped into the room behind him, just as confused.

"Oh!" The stranger had the good grace to blush at being caught.

"Walter, go ask Aunty Rhia if you can do the piñata now. Say Tadda said so," Ianto said, and Walter whooped as he ran to get his friends.

"John?" Jack gasped as he recognised the man.

"This is my ex-partner John Hart. Ianto asked you a question that I'd like answered too," Jack demanded. "What are you doing?"

"Partner? In what way?" Ianto tilted his head.

"In every sense of the word, eye-candy," John purred with a wink.

"John!" Jack warned.

"I was just working on a hunch. It's just funny that all this is happening." John stumbled as he rose and Jack realised with horror that he was drunk.

"John, how much have you had to drink? It's not even five in the afternoon!" Jack frowned. "It's a three year old's birthday for Christ's sake."

"I'm just saying, he really fell on his feet here. Nice home, nice fella. Bet that new car you're looking at is for him too. I bet you don't even charge him board for …" John slurred slightly.

"JOHN!" Jack shouted with rage.

"Oh God. I'm sorry." John placed a hand over his mouth with mock shock. "I didn't mean that. Ianto, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that. I was talking with Gwen earlier about the litany of events since the mugging and … shit. I'm drunk!"

"What car? Why would you think I would want to set fire to my own house?" Ianto was genuinely confused and turned to Jack for clarification.

Jack could see this turning bad rather quickly and hastened to get John out of there. As he reached for John's arm, Ianto stepped to his left and folded his hands neatly in front of him in a stance Jack recognised as fuming mad even though to the onlooker he seemed perfectly calm.

"No. You didn't mean for it to get that out of control. It's just … it's Jack, isn't it mate. Fucking gorgeous, isn't…" John's words were cut off as his jaw was snapped shut by Jack's fist.

"How fucking dare you! I told you two years ago at the Christmas party when you tried to stick your tongue down my throat and I'm telling you now. I will never-" Jack leaned in close to John's face- "EVER FUCK YOU AGAIN! Get out of my house!" Jack pointed at the door with a shaking finger.

"Jack. Come on, you've got to admit you do love getting on your high horse, lover." John shrugged as Gwen entered the bedroom to see why Jack was yelling.

"You! Ya piece of Gob shite! How did you get in here?" Gwen stepped forward and grabbed him by his collar. He yelped as she yanked him off his feet and dragged him towards the door while he struggled. "I told you earlier not to come here with your shite conspiracy theories about Ianto being the secret squirrel behind this mess."

"Oi! This was my almost home before it that tall glass of -oof!" John's head hit the door frame and Gwen snarled as she shook him by his collar.

"Sorry John, a bit of police brutality. You know what bastards we are, you're always saying so," she laughed as she threw him out and slammed the door before he hit the ground.

"Oh god. What can possibly happen next?" Ianto groaned and turned to bury his face in his hands. Then the mask came down and Jack sighed.

"It was over before it began. I was vulnerable when I lost Sofia and Mel and I drank a lot. He was just there and I was stupid. Less than a month together and he can't let me go after all this time," Jack tried to assure Ianto of his sincerity and Ianto sighed.

"It's okay cariad. We both have a past. I don't doubt you and I know you don't doubt me." Ianto leaned in and accepted a kiss.

"Who's that black fella that's got Wally?" Owen asked as he wandered into the room.


	18. Too much cake?

"What? Fucking Marcus! I'll kill him!" Ianto shouted as he sped off looking for his child.

Jack followed and found Walter on the front lawn laughing as Mickey gave him a horsey ride around on the grass.

"Mickey Mouse! I thought you were still in London!" Jack smiled with relief.

"Nah! After all you told me about this superman in your e-mails? Gotta meet the dude for his birthday." Mickey laughed as he clambered to his feet and hugged his old friend.

"Mickey, this is Ianto, my …" Jack paused and smiled at Ianto. "My partner."

A blush flared across Ianto's face as he heard that title for the second time in one afternoon, and Mickey laughed at his discomfort.

"Ianto Jones, this is Mickey Smith. I dated his sister Rose for a wee while back in high school." Jack clapped Mickey on the back and he pretended to be injured. Walter laughed and clapped his hands.

"Well, you've a fan in Walter so you're okay by me." Ianto smiled politely as he shook Mickey's hand.

"Who was the alien Ripley bounced?" Mickey asked with a grin.

"John!" Jack didn't return the smile and Mickey's faded.

"Shit. Hasn't he gone to the dogs?" he sighed.

"No, but he almost did. Lucky I didn't say the attack command," Ianto deadpanned, his nostrils flaring to betray the anger still lingering.

"Huh?" Mickey frowned, but as Ianto whistled sharply, Mickey's face changed to horror.

"Fuck me! Is that Myfanwy?" Mickey started backpedalling as the dog saw him and her booming bark made him squeal like a girl as he turned to run for the gate.

"Mickey and Fanny know each other. Mickey was undercover on a drug case and she has never forgiven him for running!" Jack laughed as Myfanwy threw herself at the gate while Mickey continued screaming on the other side.

Ianto laughed until tears ran down his face, slapping his thigh. Myfanwy stopped and wandered over to sit at his feet.

Mickey looked through the fence, paling with wide eyes. "I'm not coming in if she's loose!"

"Fan, come!" Ianto commanded as he led her to the garage.

As Ianto shut the door, Myfanwy spotted her food bowl and went over to investigate. Cake, jelly, and what appeared to be biscuits were quickly wolfed down as she loved human food.

.

.

.

As Ianto quietly stacked dirty paper plates and dropped them in a bin bag he was pulling listlessly around the living room, Jack was trying to persuade Walter to go to bed.

"Come on, snot. It's nearly ten at night." Jack groaned as Walter laughed and ran from the room.

"Is this where I get to say I told you so over the cake you gave him?" Ianto sighed as Jack fell to the floor and pretended to throw a tantrum of his own.

With a laugh, Ianto straddled his lover and sat on him, running his hands though Jack's hair as he leaned in for a kiss and Jack sighed with delight.

"Who was the weirdo with stripped socks?" Jack laughed as Ianto's tongue found his ear.

"Oi! Poor Kieran is not a weirdo. Just a bit…" Ianto considered with his head tipped to one side, and Jack fell in love a little bit more in that moment, "shy! He's a junior researcher at the library. I've known him for about five years. Lisa didn't like him either."

"Tadda!" a voice interrupted.

"Walter!" Ianto sighed like he was saying a curse as he turned his face to look at his hellion, still on the floor so they were eye level.

"Fanny won't wake up!" Walter sighed theatrically as he threw his arms out and Ianto wondered how much Jack was rubbing off on his little drama queen.

"Did you poke her?" Jack asked, still stuck under Ianto.

"I smack and poke Daddy. I shake too." Walter mimed shaking with his little fingers curled up and a fierce look on his face.

Ianto rose and offered a hand to Jack, who allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. They followed their boy to the garage expecting to see Myfanwy asleep but instead they discovered their dog having a seizure on the ground by the SUV.

"NO!" Ianto screamed, running to her side and throwing his body on top of her.

Jack ran for the SUV and threw the back open, then reached for Walter to strap him into his seat. Walter was screaming with fear, then Ianto cried out in pain.

Jack looked over and saw that Myfanwy had latched onto Ianto's arm and was gnawing on his forearm as Ianto screamed.

Jack left the door open as Walter struggled to undo his seat from the back. Reaching Ianto, Jack started to choke Myfanwy in a headlock. Her eyes were wide and she was making high pitched shrieking sounds as she lunged at Ianto again. Ianto pushed himself back against the wall, leaving a trail of blood from his mauled arm that he hugged to his chest as he panted.

Jack reached for the gun he always kept on his belt these days, and Ianto screamed with horror.

"No! It's not her. Something's got her crazy. That's not her. Look at her eyes!" Ianto pleaded. "Please don't shoot my dog!"

Jack forced the dog's head around and looked into a bloodshot eye. The pupil was completely blown and Jack recognised a drug-induced seizure from his days on the drug squad with Mickey and John.

She settled after a few minutes, and Jack scooped her into the back of the SUV. Ianto had staggered to the passenger door and was comforting his hysterical child. Jack removed his cardigan and wrapped it around Ianto's limb as he pushed him into the vehicle and slammed the door shut.

As they sped out of the garage and into the night, the brightly lit garage remained open, yawning into the growing dark.

One down. One to go! The watcher moved into the house with confidence.


	19. The fall out

Despite the ferocity of Myfanwy's attack, Ianto suffered only a few tears to the skin. Luckily the thick woollen cardigan he had been wearing to match Jack's had protected his arm from more damage, but bruising was still appearing in livid purple splotches. Eight stitches and a tetanus shot later, he was searching for Jack, who was on the phone with Gwen.

As Ianto approached unsteadily, Jack snapped the phone shut and turned to face him. Being careful as he took Ianto into his arms, Jack gave him a tender kiss.

"Myfanwy's going to be alright," Jack began with what he knew was Ianto's first unspoken question.

"The vet thinks someone laced her food with marijuana. Poor cow was tripping!" Jack sighed and rubbed Ianto's back as he felt Ianto burrowing into his neck.

"Walter's finally asleep for Rhiannon, who wants you to know that if we ever fill him with that much sugar again she'll report us for child abuse," Jack cautioned as Ianto laughed softly.

"And as for you, Mr Jones! You are higher than the dog!" Jack scolded and Ianto giggled like a school girl as the morphine sped through his system like a freight train.

Jack managed to manhandle Ianto into the car, and swore softly as Ianto undid his seatbelt to lean across the centre console for a kiss. The third time he did it while Jack was driving, Jack pulled the SUV over and promised some "Sexy Time" later if he was good, and Ianto promptly sat on his hands while still giggling.

When they finally crawled into bed, Ianto had forgotten the promise, much to Jack's relief, and was snoring within minutes of Jack tucking him in. As Jack lay in the dark next to his sleeping beauty, he went back over the day's events.

Marcus. John. Mickey. Gwen was right - his life was a bloody soap opera!

He then had a chilling thought, and quietly stole from the bed. Logging into the security system, he checked for the garage camera and was not surprised to find it disconnected. He went for the secondary hidden one he'd installed and was pleased to see a clear picture.

Reversing the time back to just before Myfanwy was alone in the garage, he could see someone placing something in her bowl, but it was too dark to pick a face. He swore and tried another camera. No dice.

After he sat for a few minutes staring at the blank screen, he clicked a few times and watched the attack. As the SUV disappeared from the garage, he reached out to turn off the feed, and froze. The shadow slunk along the wall and into the back door.

Jack sprung from the chair and spent a nervous few hours going over his house with electronic detectors but could find no cameras but his, and he could find no intruder or proof of one having entered. Had he not seen for himself, he would never have known someone had got in.

Finally convinced that there was no danger, Jack returned to bed, but not before he had forwarded a copy of the security footage to his work computer.

The next morning, a very sore Ianto was attempting to do up the buttons of his shirt when Jack took pity and did them for him with a kiss for each one he completed.

The phone call to the vet confirming that Myfanwy was on the mend had relieved Ianto. He just wanted his family back together.

Ianto politely asked Jack for a ride to collect his son, and Jack mentally kicked himself for dawdling over his coffee.

Heading for Rhiannon's, Jack suddenly turned the SUV and stopped at a small cemetery nearby. Ianto stared out the window of the SUV with surprise.

Ianto gingerly undid his belt and exited the SUV, following Jack along the rows until they stopped at an angel-shaped headstone.

Melissa Harkness

Gone to play in God's garden

03 March 2008 - 12 June 2012

Beside it, her mother's grave bore its own lone landmark. Her name and date of birth and death were inscribed on it with a simple "Beloved wife and mother" caption that seemed an afterthought.

As Ianto started at the dates on it, he gave a strangled laugh. He looked silently along the row, then stumbled several rows down.

A simple white gravestone stood with a bedraggled teddy bear propped against it, but no flowers, showing it hadn't been visited lately.

Lisa Hallett-Jones

Taken too soon

Beloved mother and wife

1989 – 2012

"I was too crazed with grief and had a new-born son to care for. I never put the dates. Just the year," Ianto finally spoke. "Her family blame me. I wasn't badly injured and had been the one driving. It all happened so fast."

"That they kept her alive for that one week so Walter would have the best chance at life possible before the caesarean was a miracle in itself. She was so badly damaged, she was barely recognisable for the machines." Ianto grew quiet, then he spoke again, "When I turned off her life support her mother attacked me. Right there with my new-born son fighting for his life in the NICU."

Jack snorted with shock as he stared at the dates.

"A multiple car accident that killed five that day, including my Lisa in the end. They said there was a little girl in one of the cars … I never knew." Ianto sighed and hung his head.

"What? Lisa and Sofia died … Jesus wept. You're telling me we lost them in the same mess? Oh my god!" Jack sank to a nearby bench as he struggled to comprehend the incomprehensible.  
/  
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/

OK. This is the deal. The first person to pick the stalker's true identity will get a one-shot written for them. You can pick the Verse, anything I'm writing and also prompt what you want. Smut, fight scene, humorous situation etc. I will not tell who has won until after the stalker is revealed and there may be other gifts for those who play. Just remember to put what you want when you vote for who you think it is in your review. Guest? Give me a name so you know it's you. If you cheat and know because you were following me on FF I'll forgive you


	20. UNSUB

After collecting the dog from the vets, they returned home, where Jack began to search each room again. Ianto knew nothing of the CCTV footage so put it down to Jack having the heebie-jeebies and left him to it.

After thoroughly cleaning the main living room, Ianto announced it "Walter Ready" and he put on the Milo & Otis DVD that the little tyke loved so much.

As Ianto tried to work out how to cook with his arm in a sling, Jack returned to his office, and a phone call from work made him feel no better. A knock at the door had him out of his seat before Ianto could reach it and he opened it to find John and Gwen waiting.

"Well, what have we here?" Jack grinned.

"Can we talk, Captain?" Gwen asked, shifting a folder in her hands.

Jack motioned them in with a warning glare at John, who hung his head. Ianto called out from the kitchen as they wandered down the hall.

"Who was that, cariad?" Ianto popped his head around the doorframe and saw John.

With a sharp intake of breath, Ianto stepped into their path and looked questioningly at Jack.

"A case we're working on. Sorry Ianto, it couldn't wait," Gwen said softly.

Ianto grunted and walked back into the kitchen. Jack knew there would be damage control needed there later as he watched those clenched butt checks disappear around the door frame. _Damn._

Once they were settled in the office, Jack leaned back against his desk and demanded an answer, as he knew those two didn't work together on cases.

Gwen rose and opened the folder, then began to read.

"Ianto was mugged by an UNSUB and we attended at the hospital. This was our first contact.

"An UNSUB attacked Ianto's sister in the home while you were both on a date.

"An UNSUB placed closed circuit cameras in Ianto's home during said home invasion.

"An UNSUB tampered with Ianto's car our forensics team confirmed it.

"An UNSUB set fire to Ianto's home while he and baby were inside.

"An UNSUB entered this home during the party and poisoned the dog.

"An UNSUB has been seen entering this home after dog attack.

"These are not random happenings and we believe they are all the work of one UNSUB. As it started with the mugging we have ruled out you as the trigger. This UNSUB is targeting Ianto. We have been trying to clean up the image you got …"

"What is an UNSUB?" Ianto asked, quietly interrupting as Gwen squeaked.

"Means unknown subject. You have to watch this one, quiet as a bloody cat! But he looks good in a suit, doesn't he?" Jack had his arms folded as he leaned back against the desk and motioned Ianto into the room. "You two have been busy."

"Harassment, that is!" Ianto muttered as he was carrying a tray of mugs into the room and as he placed it down, Gwen saw a jug of creamer and a bowl of sugar tucked in the sling. _God, Ianto's coffee._

"First. Sorry about being a prize class dick." John spoke to Ianto but the polite nod told him little of Ianto's opinion.

"Second. Cap, you've been too close to see the whole picture. Remember the first thing we were taught at the academy?" John addressed Jack.

"Don't look for the smoking gun, look for the casing." Jack frowned.

"Look. You are in the middle of this, you can't see what those of us looking in from the outside see." John flicked his heel up to rest on the knee of his opposite leg and leaned back in the chair.

"What John means is that we've been a little less … passionate ... in our investigations," Gwen hastened to soothe Jack's feathers which were starting to ruffle.

"Okay. Go on!" Jack nodded.

"Okay. We believe the mugging was the start. The catalyst here, if you will. Out of a street full of commuters and business people they choose the grumpiest looking one there?" John turned to Ianto. "Sorry mate, but you were fair fuming, the way you were stomping along in the rain."

"You saw me?" Ianto gasped.

"CCTV, got it all except for a face," Gwen confirmed as Ianto looked at Jack with surprise. _He never told me that they'd caught it on tape._

"Next a random intruder attacks Ianto's sister and leaves the tot unharmed? Places camera instead?" John raised his shoulders in a shrug.

"Then we have the fire. Someone knew the layout of the house and the fire marshal confirmed that it was accelerated by that old couch. We believe the UNSUB only meant to scare Ianto and the highly flammable couch was an unforeseen complication," Gwen continued, glaring at John. "Ianto's car. The brake linings were definitely tampered with, again not to cause an accident but definitely to scare him as they did work, just spongy. Tool marks suggest a slow leak was initiated."

"The dog. Well, master stroke. Also, something was visibly taken on the CCTV. A book of some sort that was in the bedside cabinet. Looked square, about yay big." John showed the size with his hands and Ianto made a small noise in his throat.

"Yan?" Jack raised an eyebrow.

"The photo album. Mine. The one Rhia gave me to replace the photos lost in the fire. I had all mine backed up on the cloud except for the childhood ones of me and my family." Ianto frowned and looked at Jack quizzically. "Why take my baby and childhood photos? Walter isn't in there."

"Because the target is you. Was always you." John sighed. "Someone wants you to suffer somehow."

"We're still trying to clean up the image of the UNSUB in your home but it's so bloody dark." Gwen sighed too.

"So, suspects?" Jack tried to pull the meeting back to order as Ianto frowned at the last remark.

"Lisa's family, Marcus. An UNSUB with random attachment to Ianto. An UNSUB with attachment to Jack that sees Ianto as a threat." Gwen counted them off on her fingers.

"Nah. I still reckon it's that Marcus," John addressed Gwen as he interrupted her flow. "He didn't know Jackie before the mugging!"

"We know your views!" Gwen sighed, lowering her hands.

"Well the family do blame him for the accident, still openly criticise him, and now we have the court papers filed seeking access to Walter. I think they want him to suffer because of Lisa," John argued.

Ianto opened his mouth to ask what papers, but then John dropped the bomb shell.

"Look, that mad mother was quite clear. Ianto had been drinking, he caused the crash, in her opinion, and they will never forgive him," John huffed. "Now they want Walter. If they tip him over the edge they can claim him unfit, right?

"What do you mean he was drunk?" Jack frowned. "Yan was the drunk driver?"


	21. Not Me

Ianto turned to face Jack with wide eyes. Jack's return stare was made of stone.

"Jack, it wasn't like that." Ianto stepped forward, but Jack straightened up and refolded his arms defensively.

"No? How was it, Ianto? You tell me!" Jack snarled, his eyes flashing with fury.

"Well? What is the point when you clearly have it all worked out, sir?" Ianto gave his clipped response as he turned to leave.

Jack surged up from the desk and grabbed Ianto's arm, pushing him against the wall. Jack's hand scrabbled at his hip for a gun that wasn't there before reaching for Ianto's hair instead.

"All this time, living under my roof. In my bed and I never saw you at all, did I?" Jack hissed in Ianto's ear, "You hid from me. You hid this from me."

"You saw what you wanted to, you don't see anything except what your blinkers allow." Ianto shook Jack off and turned to face him. "I clean up your shit, no questions asked. Now you look at me like I'm a stranger? If you knew me at all you wouldn't even have to ask!" Ianto shook his head. "Do you even love me, Jack?"

"I want you gone. Just go!" Jack said wearily as he turned back towards Gwen, who stood with her mouth open in shock.

"For the record sir, I did not kill your family. We were the first car the drunk driver hit." Ianto threw over his shoulder as a parting shot, "I'd had one wine with lunch to celebrate my promotion at work! Three hours it took for them to cut us out as she lay dying next to me. Trapped in the metal!"

Jack raced after Ianto and grabbed his arm again in the hallway but Ianto turned, swinging. Jack slammed back against the wall as Ianto's fist split his lip.

"No!" Jack yelled as Ianto made it to the living room, and as he bent to pick up a bewildered Walter, Jack finally got hold of him.

Spinning Ianto into his arms, Jack whispered his apologies as Ianto stood ramrod straight.

"Ianto, please, I'm so sorry. I just reacted without thinking," Jack pleaded, but Ianto slowly pulled away and picked up his son. "Let's talk about this."

"I'll be going now sir," Ianto said placidly, and walked out of the room, leaving Jack standing there.


	22. What if it's him?

Tosh was shocked to open her door to a bedraggled Ianto who struggled to hold a sleeping Walter in his arms.

"Oh my God, give him here. Your arm, Ianto!" she gasped, grabbing the tot.

"I'm sorry. My sister is too far to walk with him and I've still no car or I…"

"Ianto! You're rambling. It's OK." Tosh watched Ianto as he lowered himself into a chair and she noted his hands were shaking. "My God, did you walk here? Ianto? Is your hand bleeding?" she gasped as he saw the blood.

Ianto stared at his hand dispassionately where the proof of Jack's stone jaw stared back, then shrugged and dropped it into his lap.

"My life is a mess and I have nowhere left to turn," Ianto said softly. "He doesn't know where you live and I need somewhere to lick my wounds."

"Oh my god, what happened?" Tosh asked.

As Ianto explained the last 48 hours, Tosh became increasingly agitated. She then pulled out her laptop and as the large widescreen TV burst into life with algorithms and multiple screens began to pop up and scroll, Ianto smiled softly.

"So, my little computer hacker, what is today's mission?" he asked blandly.

"Jack's personal computer, his work modem and ... CCTV," she declared as the living room came on screen.

Jack was sitting in the middle of the couch hugging a Despicable Me minion plush toy as the theme music to Milo and Otis played in the background.

His lip was still bleeding and Gwen rushed onto the screen with an icepack, but Jack batted it away.

Tosh sighed as she watched Jack fall back against the couch in despair, a parody of Ianto, who was doing the same thing in her living room.

As Ianto prepared himself for the phone conversation he didn't want to have with his sister, Tosh was looking into the files on his case.

Ianto knew that now she had the image she would do a better job of cleaning it up than Jack's team, and he had more faith in her than Jack right now. At least she wouldn't keep things secret that he had a right to know.

He decided to put off the phone call and just tell her when he dropped off Walter in the morning, and with a sigh he settled his baby to bed and wished he could just climb in there with him and forget the world.

.

.

.

Rhiannon's response to Ianto was mixed when Tosh drove him over the next morning for the "beast delivery", as Jack called it. Jack came looking?

As Ianto walked back to the waiting car, he felt a twist in his gut. What he needed from Jack right now was clarity. What Jack needed? Another thumping.

Tosh's sweet kiss on the cheek as he exited the car almost made up for his sleepless night, and he rummaged about for a smile as he waved her off.

Kieran was waiting for him with a nervous smile as well, Ianto wondered if he was projecting something that made everyone walk on eggshells.

Ianto sighed with disappointment as he checked his messages. Kieran's scrawl was getting harder to decipher but he was able to ascertain that Jack was silent. Fine!

It was nearly lunchtime when a commotion brought him out of his office. Marcus?

The man was shouting the odds as he threw a display of books from the shelves across the room.

Kieran was hiding behind the counter, and Ianto didn't blame him. Ianto considered calling Jack but then dismissed it. Enough of playing the desperate heroine in need of a knight in shining armour. Fuck him too!

As he rang the main switch board and reported the incident, he watched Marcus screaming for Walter.

"Where is he? I saw the house, where the fuck is my nephew!" Marcus raged.

Finally, the boys in blue pulled him away, and as he turned to leave he saw Ianto for the first time.

"Ianto, please. Where is he?" Marcus pleaded.

"Where you can't go," Ianto said softly, watching as they loaded him into the back of the car.

Kieran was waiting with a strong cup of tea, and as Ianto finally gave in to his shaking, Kieran was there to hold his hand and comfort him.

"No shame, Ianto, there is no shame in tears," he crooned as he stroked Ianto's hand.

Meanwhile Tosh had finally cleaned the shot and had a clear picture of the UNSUB.

With horror, she rang Jack as she stared at the familiar face. God, it was him all the time!


	23. Why?

Kieran found Ianto in his office, still staring at the now cold cup of tea in his hands.

"Hey. You okay there, boss?" he said softly, touching Ianto's good arm.

"Yeah. Just tired, Kieran." Ianto smiled.

"Can I help?" Kieran asked with concern.

"No, I don't know if anyone can," Ianto groaned, rubbing his face.

"Look, this was delivered for you a wee while ago but I didn't want to bother you." Kieran placed an envelope in front of Ianto on the desk along with another cup of tea.

Ianto frowned and took a sip of the tea. Sweet.

He didn't recognise the writing and saw no sign of a sender's address.

It had been hand delivered, obviously, as there was not a post mark either.

He looked up at Kieran who was looking just as puzzled. With another sip of his too sweet tea, Ianto felt the envelope and could feel a large lump in one corner.

Ianto finally opened the manila envelope. He shook it and a baby's dummy fell out. Walter's "Sucky".

Ianto was on his feet before he could even think, and Kieran was holding him as he tried to breathe. This was what had been taken from the old house. Taken before the fire?

"You're hyperventilating. Calm down," Kieran soothed, but Ianto felt something weird happening and as he turned to tell Kieran something was wrong, his legs gave out.

"I've got you. It's going to be alright. I've got you," Kieran soothed as Ianto lost consciousness.

.

.

.

Ianto woke to the sound of dripping. The echo told him he was deep in the archives of the library. Three levels down in the basement that they lovingly referred to as the hub.

Ianto groaned as the urge to throw up became overwhelming, and as he succumbed to the urge he felt hands turning him to help.

"It's alright Ianto, just breathe."

"Kieran? Oh god, what's happening?" Ianto struggled to sit up and Kieran helped again.

"Ianto, you need to stay calm. It's the only way we can save Walter," Kieran pleaded.

"Oh god, you don't think they'll hurt him, do you?" Ianto gasped.

He rose unsteadily to his feet and began feeling his way around the room.

"Ianto, I've checked. There is no way out," Kieran whispered.

"Are you okay? God, Kieran, did they hurt you?" Ianto swung to face Kieran and wished he hadn't as nausea threatened again.

"Hurt me? Ianto, don't you get it?" Kieran walked over and put his hands on Ianto's shoulders.

"Kieran? Why aren't you afraid?" Ianto whispered as reality dawned.

"Why would I be, Ianto? This is my game." Kieran grinned.


	24. Hoodlum at heart

Ianto stared numbly at Kieran as he walked around Ianto like he was inspecting a horse at an auction.

""Kieran? What have you done?" Ianto whispered. "Tell me, I'll fix it."

"Just like you fix everything?" Kieran scoffed.

"Kieran?" Ianto took another shuddering breath as he tried to calm himself and think. Think, damn it!

"When that black bitch of yours complained about me to management and you convinced them to put me on probation?" he snarled, flicking the knife in his hand as he spoke.

"I spoke for you because she overreacted," Ianto agreed, seeing the knife for the first time.

"I was only kidding when I pointed the nail gun at her. Wasn't even loaded." Kieran pouted.

"Kieran, I always looked out for you." Ianto pleaded, "We're friends. I care for you."

"Do you? Really?" Kieran asked, and Ianto heard the desperation in the question.

"Yes. Lisa and I fought about you and I stuck up for you. I know you. You're a good man. You would never hurt anyone," Ianto struggled to keep Kieran's attention. "You matter to me."

Kieran began pacing again as he muttered to himself and Ianto remembered the dummy.

"Kieran?" Ianto was in disbelief at what was happening. "Where's Wally?"

"Oh, do you have any idea how funny you sound?" Kieran laughed. "'Where's 0Wally?' Like the game?"

Kieran stopped pacing in front of Ianto and smiled.

"That's the game. Just like Lisa used to say when she came looking for you down in these archives. Remember?" he reached out and touched Ianto's shoulder as flashes of memory crossed Ianto's mind.

Lisa. Calling out "Where's Wally?" as she hunted for him. Him, giggling as he hid like a child playing hide and seek. God, Kieran saw that?

"So cute. You calling him Wally since he was conceived down here probably after one of those games. Where's Wally indeed," Kieran crooned as he slid his hand to Ianto's neck.

The fluttering of his eyelids as he leaned forward to kiss Ianto suddenly incensed Ianto, and without a second thought he put what he'd learnt in his time spent as a football hooligan in his youth into practice.

The head-butt caught Kieran square on and he screamed as his nose exploded.

Ianto ran.


	25. White Horses or Blue Dogs?

Kieran caught Ianto easily as he stumbled, still half drugged from the tea.

The punch to his stomach caused it to complain and as Ianto dry retched on his knees Kieran easily tied his hand behind his back while snarling in his ear, "Nice try little piggy!"

Ianto sobbed as he struggled feebly. Kieran dragged him back into the light and bent close.

This time he wasn't playing and he was not loving. He slapped Ianto as he told him he was going to have to pay for that. Then he punched him.

Ianto fell to the ground dazed and confused as Kieran kicked him in the stomach and torso.

Then with a vicious snarl he pulled Ianto into a sitting position and Ianto closed his eyes as the cold steel found his skin.

The knife bit at his throat and Ianto realised this was it. I love you Walter. God, I love you Jack.

Ianto closed his eyes as he prepared to die but Kieran stopped snarling and loosened the blade as he cocked his head listening to something.

Ianto could barely heard anything for the pounding in his chest but gradually a sound began to echo around the shelves. A low growl.

Ianto gasped with recognition as he heard the oncoming monster. Myfanwy?

"Ianto?" Jack's voice bounced off the walls and Ianto gave a sob of relief.

"Ianto?" again Jack called.

Kieran snarled and the knife broke the skin on Ianto's neck as Kieran began to slide the blade around his throat.

The booming bark of the angry dog was now on the other side of the wall and Ianto cried out desperately in the hopes that she would hear.

She began throwing herself against the wall and an order was yelled at her, then to Ianto's amazement Jack threw himself against the wall. Once, twice, suddenly he was in the room.

Plaster board flew about the room as an angry Captain forced his way through the wall with his arms flailing and his voice hoarse as he screamed Ianto's name.

Kieran screamed and backed away as Jack opened fire. He roared and screamed his rage as Kieran danced in the gun fire.

Then silence.

Hands grabbing, soothing, lips kissing, loving.

As Gwen undid Ianto's bindings Jack kissed Ianto like he was drowning and in need of CPR. The way Ianto clung to Jack once he was free, maybe he was drowning for a moment.

Finally Jack broke the kiss and looked down at Ianto who was staring back up at him as he gasped in his arms.

After a few beats Ianto rose and stumbled.

"Easy, whoa there tiger!" Jack tried to grab Ianto as he flailed.

"Walter, Jack please. Save Walter!" Ianto cried as he shook with fear.

Jack looked at Ianto with a frown of confusion, Walter?


	26. second chances

Ianto refused to believe that Walter had been safely at Rhiannon's the whole time and only when Jack drove him there and he had his baby in his arms did Ianto break down into heartrending sobs.

The ambulance had followed them to Rhiannon's, and Ianto now allowed the EMTs to clean and dress the wound to his neck. Jack wanted him to go to the hospital, especially when he learned of the drugged tea, but Ianto just wanted to hold his son and ignore the world.

Finally, Jack had enough and ordered everyone out. He talked Ianto into leaving Rhiannon's and heading home.

Jack kept his arm around his love with Walter on his other hip as they quietly walked from the house to the SUV, and those present stood silently watching the family climbing into the vehicle.

Myfanwy kept up a steady stream of whimpering as she tried to break through the safety grill in the back of the SUV. Walter placed his little hand on the grill to soothe her, and the remainder of the trip was spent with her nose against the grill as she tried to touch her baby.

Jack half carried Ianto inside as Walter ran ahead with Myfanwy in childlike innocence, totally oblivious to his father's distress.

Jack quickly bathed Walter, who was surprised that he was getting an early bath on top of the early tea Aunty Rhia had already provided, but he wasn't going to complain when Daddy Jack promised Milo & Otis in the big bed.

After Jack had settled his minion in the bed with the portable DVD player he'd purchased for a rainy day, he went in search of Ianto, who was curled up on the sofa looking blankly at the far wall.

"Hey, tiger. You ready for your bath now?" Jack said softly as he stroked Ianto's cheek.

Like a sleepwalker, Ianto followed Jack to the bathroom and stood passively as Jack undressed him.

Jack felt like weeping when he saw the damage to Ianto. The bruises were vivid on the pale skin and Jack thought he might be sick for a moment when he recognised the imprints of Kieran's boots.

After a moment's thought, Jack picked him up bridal style and carefully placed him in the hot bubbles.

Ianto groaned with pleasure and pain as the hot water kissed and soothed his battered body. As Jack carefully soaped a sponge and began washing his sleepy lover, he thought back to the shooting with a grim satisfaction. His only regret was that he couldn't shoot the bastard again.

They had found the missing photo album as well as several items which clearly belonged to Ianto, including a silk tie Jack had just bought him. This proved he had been in Jack's home more than once, as the CCTV did not show this thievery.

Kieran had worn Ianto's ring on a chain around his neck. Sick fucker!

When Tosh had recognised the face and called Jack, she had opened a can of worms as Jack became a man he had left behind in his youth. John Hart would dine out on it for months as he told all and sundry that his old Jack was back, just to see people blanch.

Collecting Myfanwy before going in had been an afterthought Jack was eternally grateful for as she had proven her stripes once again.

Jack dried his sweetheart and then dressed him in the softened old PJs he owned before carrying him to the bedroom and placing him in the bed with Walter, who was already asleep and drooling into Jack's pillow.

In typical Ianto style, Ianto was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, as the adrenalin had worn off.

Walter was safe. Ianto was safe too, but Jack couldn't settle.

That fucker touched our things, invaded our life, and threatened our family.

Jack realised with a start that this wasn't their home. This was his home. That's why Ianto left. That's why he felt strange. Walter's things in Melissa's room and Ianto in Sofia's bed.

With the matter resolved in his head, he entered the bedroom to discuss selling up and moving to a home they both owned and personalised, but was met with a gorgeous sight.

Ianto was asleep.

Curled around his son with Walter's dark hair, now clipped short due to the fire, under his chin, which showed the similarities in the two as they both sucked their respective thumbs in repose. Poor babies.

Jack clicked a snapshot and sent it to Tosh for her album, and then sent it to himself for his own.

Jack sighed. He knew he had a lot of making up to do and a lot of humble pie to eat, so he slid into bed and thanked Gods he didn't believe in anymore for believing in him.

He was not going to fuck up this second chance.


	27. questions for Jack

Ianto was oblivious to proceedings for the next two days. Jack alternated between holding him gently in bed and playing with Walter, who was enjoying the time with the two men.

The hugs and cuddles Walter could get in the big bed with a sleepy Taddy any time he wanted to climb in and the roughhousing and tickling Daddy available anytime he attacked him with little snarls had Walter on cloud nine.

Jack had Owen come around to check Ianto and was touched that Owen spent the whole afternoon sitting by Ianto's side of the bed talking softly to him, comforting and reassuring him. The pain medication he left was welcome as well.

It was no surprise to Jack that Ianto turned it all around in his head to somehow be his own fault this had all happened, and as he wept into Jack's chest each night Jack desperately hoped for some blue skies ahead.

When Jack was called into work for a "sit down", he knew what was going to happen next, and Gwen refused to leave his side. Making sure Rhiannon was with Ianto, he went into the police department and waited in the uncomfortable plastic chairs suspects sit in. After half an hour, during which Hart joined the wait, the Supervisor called Jack in. Gwen gave him a nervous hug and Hart nodded his support.

The interview room was stark white with a table and four chairs. Sitting on one side of the table was the Supervisor and Jack's superior officer, Captain John Smith. The Union Rep sat on the other side and patted the chair for Jack to sit.

As Jack sat impassively, the Supervisor ruffled some papers and then looked directly at Jack.

"Well, I am informing you that this interview is being recorded both phonetically and visually for internal purposes only. If this goes any further, anything said here today cannot be used in a court of law. Do you understand, Officer?"

"Detective." John Smith growled and the Supervisor shifted in his chair.

"Yes. My apologies. Detective."

"Call me Jack, please. This may take some time," Jack said, rubbing his face.

"Very well. Jack. I am Ted Bannum of the Professional Standards Committee. I am here to review your case and decide based on the evidence here if there is any cause for a charge to be laid. If we go forward, I assure you this meeting can only be used internally and will never be released publicly or used at trial."

Jack nodded and leaned back, ready to go.

"Full name and rank please."

"Jackson Miller Harkness, Detective. Torchwood division."

"The separate interviews taken at the scene all seem to tally. I would, however like you to tell me once again in your own words what transpired."

"I received a telephone call from Toshiko Sato at approximately 1600 on the day of the incident. Do you need me to say the date?" Jack said politely.

"No. The date and time of the incident were recorded at the beginning of the tape in accordance with regulations, along with today's date. Please continue."

"Ms Sato informed me that the CCTV photograph she had obtained from Mr Jones that portrayed an intruder in our home. Do you need the address?" Jack again paused.

"No. Please, just tell it in the way that suits you best. I can ask for blanks to be filled in at the end if needed, Detective."

"Thank you sir. Ms Sato informed me that she had managed to clean up the image, to make it more visible. The image resembled Mr Jones's colleague Kieran Lancer." Jack took a breath and looked to Captain Smith, who nodded his reassurance. "I tried to call Mr Jones but got no reply. As I am familiar with Mr Jones's daily work routine I found it improbable that he would let the telephone ring out. I became worried and as I had to collect my dog for a vet check-up, due to recent poisoning, I decided to call in and check if he was alright and possibly question Mr Lacer about the image in the footage.

"As I entered the library by the staff entrance where Ian... Mr Jones works, I became aware of the silence. Mr Jones likes to play soft music for the readers and the silence meant the CD had run out and not been restarted. Mr Jones does not typically let that happen. As Myfanwy, the dog, is also Mr Jones's, I released her to find him. Myfanwy is a retired officer - do you need her badge number, sir?" Jack smiled as he noticed the supervisor had stopped taking notes.

The man waved his hand dismissively then motioned for him to continue.

"Myfanwy sounded an alert. As a drug dog as well as a control dog, she has different alerts. The bark she sounded was that of a drug find. An overturned tea cup was in Mr Jones's office. I ordered her to seek." Jack took another breath and chose his next words carefully. "Myfanwy became agitated and gave an alert I had not previously heard from one of our dogs. It was a deep boom and I have since been told by the handlers that it was a warning that she was about to attack. Unfamiliar with the warning, I again told her to go. As "Go" is a command and I was unaware, not being a handler, I inadvertently sent the dog into attack mode. She scented Mr Jones in a lower level and began to throw herself against a wall. I responded to her distress by calling out Mr Jones's name. I heard him cry out on the other side of the wall and I am acquainted with Mr Jones, so I understood that it was an unusual noise for him to make. As the dog was trying to force herself through that particular piece of wall, I ordered her back and kicked it. The wall proved to be plasterboard and hollow so I forced my way through into the next room."

Jack took a drink of water as he tried to maintain his composure. The last thing he wanted to do now was lose his cool.

"Mr Jones was kneeling on the floor. He was bound and bloody. There was evidence of wounds and the suspect was holding a knife to his throat, cutting into the flesh. Upon seeing me, the suspect stepped towards me with the knife raised, and I feared for both Mr Jones's life and my own. I opened fire and the suspect did not drop the knife. I fired a second time and the suspect fell back against a shelving unit. I fired a third time and the suspect pushed back up from the shelving unit and I believe he lifted the hand holding the knife. I emptied my clip." Jack was looking at the far wall as he said the last part. Cool and impassive.

"How many shots in total, Detective?"

"I counted six, sir. The entirety of my clip."

"Does your gun not hold more?" the supervisor was surprised.

"It can, but I never load my gun past six shots. My teacher used to train me that way and it stuck." Jack looked at Captain Smith, who smiled warmly.

"So the suspect did not relinquish the knife with the first few shots?"

"No. As he lay dying the knife was still in his hand. As I recall, my partner Gwen Cooper kicked it from his hand as I tended to Mr Jones."

"Hm. That's her account as well," the supervisor said quietly to himself, and Jack looked at Captain Smith hopefully. He winked back and nodded.

"I've still to talk to Mr Jones but it seems that everything here is in order." The supervisor stood and began to feed the papers into his briefcase.

"Sir? Is this going to be a judicial enquiry?"

"No. As far as I can see this was a case of due diligence. Justifiable homicide. I will give my official findings within the week. Once Mr Jones corroborates your story I will decide whether or not to proceed with an intention to indict. You may go now."

Jack sighed with relief and nodded politely before leaving the room.

He made it to the gents in under two minutes before he emptied his breakfast from his rolling gut.

God, Ianto next.


	28. Ianto's answers

Jack knew the Supervisor was due any minute. He also knew Ianto was not ready. It had been a restless night, with Walter wanting to sleep with them and Ianto's nightmares. Now, as the clock ticked towards two o'clock, Jack wished for time to stop. Just for a wee while. The doorbell sounded like a Bell of Doom tolling and Jack told himself to stop being so bloody maudlin as he opened it to the Supervisor, Smith, and Gwen, who stood behind the two men defiantly.

"Sir, would you like a drink before you begin?" Jack stalled but the man shook his head.

Walter was at Rhiannon's for the rest of the day and Jack was glad Gwen was there as the house seemed so big and empty. Ianto was sitting up in bed reading and as the men entered he carefully marked his place with a bookmark Walter had made him at day-care and placed it to one side. The glass of milk was half drunk and the pill container empty. Jack silently noted this. Good. He's pain free at least.

Ianto hated pills and only agreed to them at night so the fact that he had taken them now told Jack that he was in pain. As the men sat, Jack made to leave and Ianto made a noise in his throat.

"Does he have to go?" he asked softly, looking at the supervisor.

"Well. We do allow a support person but as he is…" Bannum began to say but as Ianto's face dropped, he sighed, then shrugged. "Don't suppose it'll hurt."

Ianto's smile of gratitude lit the room and Jack noticed the back of the supervisor's neck turning red. Really? That Jones charm, huh? Jack settled on the bed and took one of Ianto's hands.

"OK, I've primed the tape so we just need to begin. Your full name please."

"Ianto Icarus Jones."

"Really? Icarus?" Jack asked with shock.

"Mam was mad on mythology. Believed in the fae and all!" Ianto nodded.

The supervisor cleared his throat and Ianto looked though his lashes as he murmured an apology, and again Jack saw a faint blush.

"Can you tell me in your own words what happened, Mr Jones?"

"I was in my office when Kieran bought in a parcel. An envelope and it had … no, wait. Sorry. There was the cup of tea first." Ianto made a noise in his throat and frowned.

"Hey. It's OK, Yan. There is plenty of time to get it right. No-one is judging you here. Just use your recall and tell him what you saw."

"Kieran found me in my office, my cup of tea was cold. "Hey. You okay there boss?" he asked me. I told him, "Yeah. Just tired, Kieran." He said, "Can I help?" I replied, "No, I don't know if anyone can." He placed an envelope in front of me with another cup of tea and said, "Look, this was delivered for you a wee while ago but I didn't want to bother you." The tea was very sweet. I didn't recognise the writing and saw no sign of a sender's address. It had been hand delivered because there was no post mark. I took another sip of tea and felt the envelope and could feel a large lump in one corner. I opened it and Walter's "Sucky" was in it. I stood up. "You're hyperventilating. Calm down." Kieran said, but I felt weird - then it all went black. I woke up in the basement and threw up. "It's alright Ianto, just breathe," Kieran said. "Kieran? Oh god, what's happening?" I asked. "Ianto, you need to stay calm. It's the only way we can save Walter," he said. "Oh god, you don't think they'll hurt him, do you?" I asked." Ianto spoke in a droning, emotionless voice.

"Mr Jones, are you reading this somehow?" the supervisor interrupted.

"No. Eidetic memory. I have total recall." Ianto smiled softly.

"Ah. I was unaware. Can you just give me a brief synopsis of the time of the shooting?" The poor man looked gobsmacked.

"I had managed to get away but he caught me again because I still felt unwell. After he beat me he placed a knife to my throat and began cutting my throat. Then I heard my dog. My girl." Ianto reached for Jack. "Then Jack heard me call out and he came. He came through the wall as Kieran was … he was going to … Oh God, I'm sorry." Ianto was shaking, and Jack pulled him close.

"It's okay Ianto, just tell the truth and then it's over," Jack soothed.

"The knife was burning as it …" Ianto touched his neck where the dressing covered the mark.

"He looked up when Jack came in and then he stepped away from me and towards Jack. I fell. There was gunfire and Kieran growling like an animal as he lay on the floor. Then Jack had me and I was safe." Ianto smiled at Jack and squeezed his hand.

"Mr Jones, did Kieran still have the knife once he had fallen?"

"The last time I saw him he still had the knife, then Gwen came over and he didn't next time I looked. It was over by the other shelves like it had been thrown or kicked." Ianto shrugged. "I'm sorry sir, I don't know."

"Well, I have all I need. Thank you for your time, I hope you feel better soon." Bannum stood to leave, and Ianto looked at Jack in silent rebuke.

"Ianto would like me to give you the CCTV footage of our home invasion and dog poisoning," Jack said quietly to explain the glare. "We've not released these."

"Ah, I wondered if that would come up. Ms Sato kindly forwarded those already, as well as the footage from the library office." Mr Bannum smiled and Jack gaped at him.

"Tosh?"

"Yes, lovely lady."

"Huh," Jack snorted. That Tosh does get around. Minx.

Jack returned to the bedroom after letting them out, where Ianto waited with his hands folded primly in his lap.

"Thank you Ianto, I don't know how I'll ever make it up to you." Jack kissed his cheek as Ianto turned his face away.

"You knew? That he would ask me that?" Ianto demanded with a glare.

"No. I hoped he would be happy with your explanation and leave it," Jack admitted.

"I didn't see the knife Jack, not after he fell. You know I didn't!" Ianto hissed. "I just bloody lied for you."

Jack tried to hold him, but Ianto pulled away. He had much to chew on.

…

When the official letter came two days later, Jack was unable to open it. He handed it to Captain Smith and shook his head silently. Hart couldn't stand it anymore and he snatched the letter up and opened it. Jack watched as his face became still then, as a smile lit it up, Jack gave a sigh of relief.

"Justifiable homicide!" John Hart preened, waving the letter about.

Gwen gave a whoop and Jack found himself sitting on the nearest desk. He just wanted Ianto. The two days spent post-interview had been chaste. Walter slept between them and Ianto had started getting out of bed and sitting in a chair by the window. Jack knew he was stewing and hoped he'd forgive him soon. He just didn't know what to do. He hoped this verdict would help.

Jack entered the house like Walter did when he was released at the park, yelling and running. He burst into the bedroom with the letter in his hand, and froze. Standing at the foot of the bed was Marcus Hallett.


	29. Verdict?

Walter was asleep on the bed, next to Ianto, who was sitting ramrod straight in the bed glaring at Marcus. Marcus held the birthday gift Ianto had rejected and was staring at Ianto like he had grown an extra head.

"What do you mean, someone tried to kill you?" he said quietly.

"A co-worker with a fixation decided to kidnap me and tried to cut my throat," Ianto was clearly repeating himself, based on the eye roll.

"What are you doing here?" Jack snarled as he approached the bed.

"Marcus says he found the door open," Ianto said in the pleasant butler voice that warned Jack that he was about to get out of bed and do something stupid.

"Marcus. Ianto is clearly not in the mood for visitors, and maybe if you leave now he'll discuss things at a later date," Jack tried.

"I know how this goes. You shut that door and … Hello there, pumpkin," Marcus smiled as Walter woke and looked at him.

Walter made a small noise and burrowed into Ianto's side. Ianto then made a noise of pain as Walter hit his ribs and Jack lost his temper.

"Look, this is my house and you are in it. To me, that's a problem!" Jack said, but Walter had heard his voice and was crawling across a groaning Ianto to get to him.

"Hey buggy bum." Jack picked him up and Ianto sighed as the weight on his stomach eased. Marcus was entranced, and smiled as Walter turned and stared at him.

"Oh my god, he has her eyes," he gasped.

"He's Ianto's; all I see is Ianto," Jack returned fire.

"With that skin? Really?" Marcus scoffed.

"And there it is!" Ianto had removed his sorry carcass from the bed while the dick-measuring contest was happening and approached the two men. "The Hallett Equality Society Official Line. He's no good being raised by a white man!"

"Mother was wrong to say that. But two gay men? Is that better?" Marcus turned and made a noise of surprise. Jack turned to apologise to Ianto, and froze as he saw the stun gun in Ianto's hand.

"Look, I don't care who I try this on. I've not had any pain meds all day so either one will do. As Jack has my baby, it'll probably be you, Marcus." Ianto spoke like he was discussing the weather and Marcus laughed.

"Touché, Jonesy. Touché." With that, he left.

Jack turned to face Ianto with confusion on his face, and Ianto just shrugged.

"The Halletts are a weird lot. I stopped trying to understand them when they ruined my wedding." Ianto shook his head and climbed gingerly back into bed. Jack noticed the stun gun placed carefully back on the bedside table, and sighed.

"Ruined the wedding? How?" Jack asked as he sat on the bed with Walter giving him butterfly kisses.

"Standing at the altar waiting for her to come down the aisle while her mother loudly proclaimed her disappointment in her daughter's stubbornness. Said she was only marrying me to get up her parents' noses as they felt I was too …" Ianto frowned as he tried to remember. "Immature. That's what she said. 'He's too immature and they'll never last. God what is they want half-breed children?'"

Jack growled as he looked down at Walter, who was now running his hands up and down his collar.

"This is when my stunning bride chose started the walk down the aisle, heard the last part, and informed her that she already was pregnant!"

"Jesus!"

"We lost her. A little girl. When the doctor said it was not uncommon to lose the first baby, I wanted to rail at the world - it was bloody uncommon to me!" Ianto sighed as he stroked Walter's hair.

"Wish we hadn't needed to cut his hair. Bloody fire!" Ianto changed the subject and Jack let him.

"I like it. So soft and fuzzy." Jack kissed the little man's forehead and Walter hummed appreciatively as he cuddled into Jack.

"Such a cuddle bug these days," Ianto yawned.

"I guess he's picking up our problems. Speaking of which…" Jack removed the letter from his jacket pocket where he'd shoved it during the face off with Marcus. He handed it to Ianto and watched him silently digest the news. With a nod, he handed the letter back to Jack, and Jack sighed.

Still not forgiven then.


	30. Lets go Loopy Loo

Jack entered the house with a weary sigh.

It had been a long day and he was absolutely dog tired. They were working on another drug case and he hated those with a passion. After a day spent trolling through filthy flea infested drug dens, all he wanted was a good meal and a hot shower.

As Jack wandered down the hallway he was unbuttoning his shirt, already thinking of that shower. Entering the bedroom, he found chaos.

Walter was sitting on the floor surrounded by confetti. Jack swore quietly as he recognised the colours of the papers Walter had been tearing up. The yellow middle slip of his warrant pad stuck to Walter's bare arse as he rose to meet him and was not as funny as you might think, considering the paper was stuck there by his hair cream.

Very expensive hair cream that was smeared over the mirror and vanity unit in the bathroom. Hair cream that was walked through the shag pile carpet in the bedroom, and apparently Walter's hair needed enough to make a shiny, slippery helmet.

"IANTO!" Jack roared as he slipped through the bathroom to reach the running tap in the hand basin. Thank god he didn't put the plug in.

"Wha…" Ianto sat up in bed and stared blearily about.

"Ianto?" Jack repeated, approaching the bed and then sitting by Ianto.

Jack looked into his face and his blood boiled. Reaching past the sleepy man, Jack snatched the bottle of pills and shook it.

"Ianto, how many of these did you take?" Jack shook the bottle in his face.

"Oh, bugger off. My chest is killing me, I just needed some sleep." Ianto groaned as he flopped back in the bed.

"Ianto, did you see what your son did while he was uncared for?" Jack demanded before his brain fart filter kicked in and he realised the words he had chosen.

"I bed your fucking pardon?" Ianto rose from the bed like a vampire from its crypt, bolt upright and scary.

"I didn't mean that the way … Ianto, for god's sake," Jack moaned as Ianto flung the covers back, revealing his naked glory.

"Fuck you!" Ianto spat as he grabbed a pair of nearby jeans and shoved his feet into them. Jack was so surprised he didn't even tell Ianto they were his.

"Shit! How many time have I told you to put your shit away, he's going to copy you!" Ianto picked up his son with a wrinkled nose. "Look at this mess!"

As Jack stood there gaping at Ianto, he pulled one of Jack's t-shirts out of the laundry basket and rubbed his son's head.

"Ianto, I've had enough." Jack reached for Walter and Ianto pulled him back.

"Have you now?" Ianto huffed. "Or do you really mean to complain that you're not getting any?"

"Ianto, I know you're still hurting and in pain. I was happy to wait." Jack faced palmed. "I will wait for you to be ready."

"Really?" Ianto said quietly as he stepped forward, and Jack hoped for a kiss.

"Here, then. Clean while you wait!" Ianto slapped the yellow paper from his son's bum into Jack's hand and spun around to exit the room.

Jack finally found the energy to follow Ianto and found him in the garage, clipping a lead onto Myfanwy.

"Ianto, Walter is naked" Jack reminded him.

"Fuck off!" Ianto stormed out of the garage and stopped, then turned and returned to the garage.

Eyeballing Jack, he snatched up the jacket lying on the counter and proceeded to wrap Walter in it, then turned on his heel and repeated the storm out part. Myfanwy was waiting for Jack and turned to see why he wasn't following; Ianto got tangled in her lead and swore again.

Jack rushed forward and caught him as he began to tumble forward, and wound up with an armful of Walter, who grabbed him around the neck and refused to let go.

"Fine! Have him. Apparently I don't care for him!" Ianto snarled, then proceeded with Operation Storm Off Mark III.

Jack stood holding the child in total shock as he heard his bed mate burst into tears out at the letterbox.

Jack looked down at the boy in his arms, who was giggling uncontrollably at the expression on his face.

"Well I don't know about you, bug, but I think Tadda's a little bit loopy." Jack shook his head.


	31. Sorry

By the time Ianto reached Rhiannon's house, a few things had become clear.

He had been stupid to hand Walter over, it was too cold to be outside naked from the waist up, and most importantly, he was a first class Twpsyn.

Once he was warmly snuggled into Rhiannon's arms while wearing one of Johnny's yeti-sized shirts, he told her what had happened.

He knew he was a Twpsyn but did she really have to slap him around the head as hard as Mam used to?

Mica and David got home from school to find a moody uncle curled up on the sofa watching MythBusters while their mam screamed abuse at him from the middle of the room in "busted" mode. Cool.

They quietly got snacks and settled down to watch.

"You weren't there. He was horrible," Ianto said quietly as Rhiannon stopped for a breath.

"No! You stupid little nob-head. He is the best thing to ever happen to you and if you think I'm going to let you act like a complete Twpsyn because you think you are so damn …" she was on a roll.

"Do you think we can come up with another word? I'm getting sick of that one. It's his," Ianto muttered.

"His. You mean he calls you that too?" she huffed.

"No. It's what I call him."

The whack of their mother's hand around their uncle's head made both children jump then snort behind their hands as they stared at each other with wide eyes. Mam hit uncle, just like she hit Da.

"Jesus Chr-" Ianto started to swear, but Rhiannon raised her hand in warning.

"You get yourself over to that house and you had bloody well better fix this, you little shite!" she roared.

"I think I preferred Twpsyn." He winked at the kids as he dodged her hand.

Both kids screamed with mirth.

.

.

.

Ianto released Myfanwy in the garage and stepped through the door with the long-winded speech he'd been rehearsing in his head. He walked down the hallway to the main room and found it empty.

Next he checked Walter's room. Not only was it empty, but drawers were hanging open and clothes were gone.

Ianto rushed to the bedroom and found the bed empty, unmade from his exit. As he rushed through the house, he began to panic. Where was his boy?

A key in the front door stopped him from breaking down and instead he found himself slipping into the shadows of the bedroom.

"There you go, bug, safe and sound." Jack's voice drifted through the doorway. "Now, let Daddy Jack put the laundry away and then we'll eat."

Not gone. The clothes were dirty? Of course they were. Been at least a week since laundry had been done.

"No, not your head! Pizza goes on the plate." Jack's laugh was deep, and Ianto sighed.

Shuffling down the hallway to the kitchen, he watched his son feeding Jack bits of pizza as Jack growled and bit the pieces form his fingers. A parody of Myfanwy.

"Jack?" Ianto said softly.

Jack straightened up and then rushed over, drawing Ianto into a hug.

"Don't ever do that again!" Jack whispered.

"Sorry. I'm flushing them tonight." Ianto rubbed Jack's back.

Myfanwy took advantage of the situation to get her own bites of pizza.

…..


	32. red red wine

After an uncomfortable night with Walter between them, a chaste kiss was all that could be afforded as Jack rushed to work late.

Ianto dropped Walter off and was also late, as Rhiannon demanded a blow by blow of the make-up talk.

"No sex? Still?" she gasped, which made him feel worse.

Arriving at work to find a stranger in his office didn't help as he felt his feathers definitely become ruffled.

The letter sitting in his in-tray informing him of his suspension pending an investigation into a possible interoffice relationship fuelled the fire until he wondered if smoke was coming out of his ears, he was so mad.

How the hell was he supposed to have received the bloody letter if it was in his in-tray? Bloody idiots! Like he'd led Kieran on, for god's sake!

He stormed downtown to his lawyer, who then spent half an hour on the phone - god knows what that'll cost - to inform him that it had been an automated letter sent in error. Unfortunately, the letter also initiated the staffing change and until they sorted it, he was effectively suspended on full pay.

Anyone else might have been pleased, but this was Ianto. So much to do and he didn't even know if the archives had been thoroughly cleaned. Now he could have up to a month before he could get back in there. God knows what those bloody nob-heads could do in that space of time without his supervision.

Jack was not answering his phone, and Ianto wondered if they were staring down the barrel of a break-up.

When the phone rang, he was in Tesco's, buying cheese and wine. Said no more pills, not no life!

Ianto looked at the screen and saw Gwen's name flashing. Huh?

"Gwen? You need something?" he said distractedly, picking at the wine label on the bottle.

"Ianto? Where are you?" she asked.

"Tesco's. Wine for dinner. Jack and I need to talk." He dismissed a bottle and chose a second from the display.

"Ianto. I need you to find somewhere to sit down," she said, and Ianto was instantly on alert.

"What is it? What's happened?" he demanded.

"Ianto. God. There was a tip off for someone we were after. Jack went to investigate. When he didn't call in we went to find him. The meeting place was by the docks …" She gasped with grief, "Someone has beaten the living tar out of him."

"Is he dead?" Ianto was calm. So calm. He was the iceman.

"I don't know. He was alive when they loaded him onto the ambulance but ..." she broke down.

The sound of the bottle exploding as it hit the floor made the toddler in the trolley at the checkout burst into tears.

Ianto ran from the store with the phone wedged against his ear as he tried to open the door of the SUV Jack had told him to take, but his hands shook too much and he sank to the ground sobbing.

"Tell him to wait for me," he cried down the phone. "Tell him I love him and please don't die on me."


	33. Cry me a River

The hospital room was so sterile that Ianto was afraid to touch anything.

When the kind taxi driver had picked him up off the pavement and driven him to the hospital, he was too in shock to realise how filthy he was. Now he sat there, all he could see was a red wine stain on his best tan trousers Jack had given him after the fire.

Gwen was talking to him again but Ianto could see a sliver of green glass in the turn of his sock and he was wondering how to pluck it out. She touched his arm.

"Ianto?" She squatted by the chair and looked at the glass as well.

"I dropped it," he whispered, and he sighed.

"It's okay, John's paid for it and picked up the SUV, hon." She rubbed his arm and he looked at her bleakly.

"Seems I'm destined to have lovely ladies on that arm." He smiled blandly as she realised that it was the arm Myfanwy had injured, and she laughed despite herself.

She left to check on John's progress with the phone trace on the informant after kissing Ianto's cheek, and he pulled the chair closer to the bed.

"See that?" he whispered to the unconscious man in the bed. "Bet I could tap that!"

He snorted softly and then took one of Jack's hands in his own. "The Jones Charm strikes again!"

Silence.

"It's no fun when you don't have a snipe back, you know, sir."

The machines beeped and Jack breathed in. Ianto kissed his knuckles. He breathed out.

"I've been thinking about that comment you made the other day. The one about us getting a house together? Do you really think I'm capable of a long-term relationship? I am pretty flaky, you know, sir." Ianto ran his fingers through Jack's soft hair. He made a mental note to get more gel.

"John offered to keep your side of the bed warm for you." Ianto looked desperately for any response, then sighed.

"They said you might be able to hear me. That talking to you might help. Do you think that's true? Or just something they say to make us feel better, instead of sitting here in silence thinking the worst?

"This must be the longest I've ever watched you and not seen a smile. I watch you sometimes when you're sleeping. So many times I've laid there with the moonlight spilling across the bed. Watching you sleep. Did you know that? Watched you dream. What do you dream about, Jack? Sophia? Your lovely little girl Melissa? I've hoped you were dreaming of me." Ianto snorted at the absurdity of it.

"Let's be honest, Jack. I'm only a paragraph in your book of life. Do you dream of them? Your real family? Or me? The one you'll settle for?"

"Will you? Settle for me?" Ianto whispered, then buried his face in Jack's neck as he let a few tears escape.

"If no one is there to see you cry, are you really crying?" he asked Jack with his head tilted.

"What am I to you, Jack?"

"Not." 

Ianto looked up in shock. "Jack?"

"Not paragraph."

Ianto tenderly kissed his lover, and he felt Jack's lips move into a smile.

"Hey, sleeping beauty." Ianto swallowed a sob as he tried to smile bravely.

"I broke a '72 Merlot in the middle of Tesco's and then ran off without paying," Ianto whispered softly. "Do you think that makes me a bad boy, Captain?"

Jack squeezed Ianto's hand and smiled softly as he struggled to open his eyes.

What else was there to do? Ianto kissed him again.


	34. Say What?

Ianto was asleep by the bed in a chair provided by a lovely caring nurse when the monitors started going crazy.

Ianto gasped awake as a nurse flew into the room and began checking Jack. As he watched with horror, she slammed her hand onto the emergency button on the wall above the bed and began lowering the bed.

Ianto slid back against the wall as the crash team entered and began checking the stats, then a backboard was slid under Jack as they wrenched his shirt open.

Ianto watched them shock him and his body convulsed, then flopped.

Again, they shocked him as the machines continued to complain loudly.

"Pulse!" came the cry, and Ianto burst into tears.

"Christ, where did he come from?" someone demanded, and he found himself pushed out into the corridor, where he continued to cry as he slid down the wall.

"Ianto?" He knew that voice, and the arms that cocooned him from the world smelt nice too.

"Gwen?" Ianto pulled back, and she smiled softly.

"What's wrong?"

"Jack, he stopped … they were shocking him and his heart was not beating and …" Ianto broke down again.

Gwen took him to a waiting room and comforted him. Soon the room began to fill, and Ianto fought to compose himself.

John Hart breezed into the middle of the mêlée and when he heard what was happening, he ran from the room, only to be led back by a very forceful nurse.

He sat beside Ianto and hugged him, much to Ianto's surprise. Ianto felt himself relax as John rubbed his back and rocked them both.

A doctor entered and Ianto rose, but the doctor looked at the Captain and Ianto realised that Captain Smith was listed as Jack's next of kin. He had no rights.

When they said only two people could go in, the Captain took Ianto by the hand and led him into the room.

Jack was awake and looked confused at all the activity.

"Yan? You OK?" he slurred.

Ianto fought to keep his tears at bay as he leaned in and kissed him. The nose cannula tickled against his cheek as he rubbed his nose against Jack's stubbled throat and Jack hummed with pleasure.

"Mr Harkness, I'm Doctor Yana. You have just suffered a mild heart attack. We are going to run a few tests but I'm afraid it looks like your heart may have been damaged by the stress of the attack. Your liver looks unsettled and we're concerned about an underlying bleed we've not contained. We will monitor you for the next few hours and decide if surgery is needed to remedy the situation."

"Bloody hell!" Captain Smith exploded as he felt around in his leather jacket for his phone.

"Oh God, Jack," Ianto sobbed.

"Ianto, it's OK." Jack smiled weakly as his eyes fluttered shut. "My heart is safe and sound in your pocket."

.

.

.

The next few hours were tense, not made any better by John Hart, who told Jack about Ianto being forced out as he was not next of kin.

Ianto tried to say that it didn't matter while hiding the fact that it did. It did, really.

Jack looked thoughtfully at Ianto as he stroked his face and came to a decision.

"I know how to fix it," Jack declared.

"What?" Ianto cocked his head.

"Marry me!"


	35. Sandwiches

Ianto laughed at the proposal, but Jack stood firm. Or lay there, as the case may be.

"They can't deny you access, you have a right to know what is happening and if I'm not in a place to give consent I know you will make the right choice," Jack explained.

He really wanted to ensure they were financially sound if it went wrong. Jack had spoken in private with the doctors and had asked them to simplify it and lessen the shock value before repeating it in front of Ianto. He knew the risk that he might not make it, and all he could see was Walter's little face in Ianto's arms as they slept. No way was that little boy going to lose another home!

Oh god, Walter. I'm sorry. I don't want to leave now that I've found you both.

Finally, Ianto stopped fluffing about and thought about the proposal.

"It's all I want from you," Jack said sleepily. "Everything."

"Jack, that's all I'm willing to give you," Ianto murmured, kissing him softly.

The chaplain was hastily pulled in to perform a ceremony, with Jack promising Ianto a big wedding for the family afterwards. Ianto heard the unspoken if.

As the chaplain gave the standard questions and they replied the standard responses, Ianto felt something inside release. His fear faded away as he looked at his lover, his friend. His husband. Wow.

"Do you take this man Jack -"

"Yes, yes," Ianto interrupted.

The chaplain stared at the young man who was oozing nervousness.

"Well? Don't keep him waiting!" Ianto demanded with a cock of his head.

"Do you -"

"Yes, for Christ's sake! Marry us so I get my bloody kiss," Jack moaned, and Ianto laughed.

"I don't have a ring for you," Jack gasped as Ianto released him from another kiss.

"I don't think they allow cock rings in hospital, sir," Ianto whispered, and Jack laughed gently.

No sooner were they pronounced Mr & Mr Harkness-Jones than the doctors swarmed into the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but we have your results back. Your liver is failing - we need to take you to surgery now."

Ianto felt everything spinning out of control as he clung to Captain Smith for support.

They wandered to the chapel, where Ianto sat praying for Jack's survival. He made several promises he knew he could never keep and asked forgiveness for any and all sins he could think of.

Three hours later, Ianto looked up as someone entered, but it was only Gwen and John Hart.

Ianto frowned at the black eye Gwen was sporting, and John seemed to be limping.

"What happened to you two? No! Never mind. I don't want to know." Smith shook his head.

"Slipped chasing a perp and took Cooper down with me." Hart groaned as he lowered himself into a pew.

Ianto regarded them both with disbelief. He was lying; Gwen's face was a dead giveaway. What had they been up to? They looked like they gone a round with Myfanwy.

It was another hour before the doctor entered and woke a lightly dozing Ianto, who had swapped Smith's shoulder for Hart's at some stage and he wasn't complaining.

Told that Jack was doing well, Ianto finally collapsed as both Johns held him tightly, and he laughed through his tears.

"A John sandwich and he missed it," Ianto sobbed. "He'll be so disappointed."

They all laughed as John Hart winced from his bruised ribs and glared at Gwen to keep quiet.

Ianto caught the look that passed between them and frowned.

What had they been up to?

…


	36. Magic

Ianto was finally allowed to bring Walter in for a visit, and Jack was like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

He fluffed his sheet again and worried that the machines would scare Walter. Then checked his leads were not in the way.

Ianto finally entered with a wide-eyed little boy who screamed with delight when he saw Jack.

Ianto told him again that he was not to touch Daddy Jack's tubes and wires before carefully placing him on the bed.

Walter crawled into Jack's arms and began chattering away so fast no one could understand a single word. Jack laughed and kissed the little hand that was stroking his beard.

"I know, buggy bum. I'm kind of shaggy, aren't I?" Jack grinned and Walter laughed.

"Mr Jack Prickly Bear!" Walter declared, rubbing his face into the whiskers on Jack's neck.

Jack sighed with pleasure and rubbed his little hero's back.

"I like my teddy bear Jack but want my Daddy Jack! I love him!" Walter demanded of his father, and Jack realised with dismay that Walter didn't think it was really him.

Ianto recognised the warning signs and scooped up the little man before a tantrum began. After he stared at Jack for a heartbeat or two, he smiled.

"Watch, bug, Taddy can do magic!" Ianto whispered, and Walter looked at him with tear-filled eyes.

Placing Walter in the chair, Ianto collected Jack's toilet bag and removed the shaving kit. Jack relaxed as he realised what Ianto was going to do.

A bowl of water materialised along with some towels, and Ianto thanked the nurse who had watched the whole thing and found the family cute.

Rose Tyler, said her nametag, and Ianto made a mental note to write a letter to her superiors telling them of her good nature.

Ianto began to shave Jack, and Walter let out a gasp as his Daddy Jack emerged from underneath the whiskers.

"See, Buggy Bum? There he is! The stinker was hiding!" Ianto laughed as his son clapped his hands, then eagerly reached for Jack again.

Walter cuddled into Jack and rubbed his nose against Jack's now smooth cheek as Jack smiled gratefully up at his husband.

His husband. Wow!


	37. Dirty Boy!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smutt Alert

Jack was dozing lightly as Ianto slipped into the room. Now that Jack was on the road to recovery, the hospital had relaxed their rules and allowed him open access to his husband. Indeed, over the past week the hospital staff had become quite fond of the captivating flirt in their care and the shy, polite young man who was clearly besotted with him. Walter had been the icing on the cake, not a cuter kid out there.

Ianto stood just inside the door, swallowing down his nervousness. Jack's condition had been downgraded to the point where he was no longer considered at risk and had even been allowed to take the few steps necessary to reach the ensuite of his room. Ianto knew the routines like he knew the back of his hand and the staff trusted him to help Jack with his toiletries and shaving routine.

Ianto flipped the sign that asked for privacy. This was to ensure no embarrassment due to an exam or something taking place and someone barging in. He had used it for the bedpans and also shaving time as he liked that time spent staring so intently at Jack. Who wouldn't? He thought.

Finally, he took a deep breath and told himself to go for it. Jack's coat that had been cocooning him against the early winter's bite was slipped from his shoulders and carefully folded in the chair. Next, his trousers were slid off and his shoes changed to the ones he had in his bag.

Ready to make Jack happy, Ianto confidently strode forward and began to prepare Mr Harkness-Jones's bed bath.

Jack woke to gentle hands folding back his hospital gown and he hummed as he recognised the early signs of a bed bath. He was getting to like those and the afterglow of "Clean" that he never thought he would crave so mach. Lying there immobile and alone, they had become a rare moment of physical interaction in an otherwise frustratingly lonely day.

When the warm sponge dipped to his stomach and swirled around his belly button, he sighed and relaxed some more. This one was different, more confident. Less officious in her ministrations. Nice.

He blinked his eye open to look at the nurse's back as she leant further to slide her hand deftly down to cup his balls. Huh?

Jack was awake. Whoa, he was so awake his eyes might tumble right out of his head. This nurse had a masculine body and her uniform hugged a very lovely, pert arse that… Ianto?

"Yan?" Jack muttered in a gravelly, sleep-produced voice.

"Oh, good morning Captain Harkness-Jones. Just giving you your bath, you dirty, dirty little boy!" Ianto spoke in a falsetto voice and as he turned to look at Jack his fake eyelashes fluttered against his cheek. Jack could only gape. The blush was natural and the only make-up visible was red lipstick that turned Ianto's usually polite mouth into the most fuckable thing Jack had ever seen.

"Not talking today, Captain? Shame, such a lovely voice. I was hoping for some conversation but if you'd rather not…" Ianto drew the last bit out as he leant down and Jack realised with delight that those luscious lips were going all the way.

As Ianto sucked in the tip of his member, Jack grabbed the mattress with both hands. He took a shuddering breath as Ianto innocently looked up at him with his nob firmly between his teeth and smiled. Bastard. Oh fuck, fuckery dos!

Ianto engulfed him right to the base and Jack could feel Ianto's tongue swirling around him as Ianto slowly - fuck you, bastard, too slow - rose back to the tip. Each and every taste bud rasped against his sensitive skin and Jack was lost in throes of ecstasy as Ianto gently sucked him in again.

Jack's soft pleas became curses fairly quickly as Ianto continued his gruellingly slow blow job, and as Jack felt the build-up begin for the coup de grace, Ianto pulled off with a noisy plop and stared calmly at Jack, who was writhing and using every swear word he had ever learnt.

When Ianto straightened up and Jack got his first real look at his husband, he had to pant to stave off the orgasm threatening to arrive. Ianto's uniform seemed authentic and very bloody tight. Ianto's erection peeked out beneath the very short hem and the suspenders and stockings led his eyes down to the three inch black stilettoes holding Ianto up. Fuck. Shit. Oh thank you god.

Ianto stepped up to the bed and then, to Jack's immense joy, he climbed on. Ianto had obviously prepared himself already as he was slick and loose. With a quick swipe of lube from the packet he produced from his garter he straddled Jack, Ianto reached confidently for the now pulsating member Jack was trying to ignore and in one fell swoop he impaled himself. Now they both found imaginative curses as Ianto ground his lover into his sickbed as he pleaded for mercy and more speed.

The bed began to move on its casters with the veracity of Ianto's thrusting and as Ianto groaned, Jack looked up at his lover with wonder.

Beads of sweat were running down the most kissable neck and his arms were taut as he clutched at the headboard. The muscles in his arms stood out and Jack saw the hidden strength in those arms that lifted him every day. The place at the base of Ianto's throat, that little hollow where Jack had rubbed his nose every morning in their own bed, was undulating as Ianto swallowed and gasped. He was close.

Jack focused on the task at hand and relaxed into the bed as he enjoyed the sensation of a most delicious hug of a particular part of his body that was both moist and hot. Yeah, fucking hot, baby.

Jack was coming, it took him by surprise, and he had no time to bark a warning. As he shuddered beneath Ianto, he felt Ianto's hands slap down on his chest as Ianto fought his own fit of lust.

Ianto's cry of ecstasy was so beautiful that Jack relaxed again and let the orgasm take him as he now convulsed and whimpered at the overload of sensation.

Finally coming back down to earth, Jack felt Ianto's soft kisses covering his face, and as Jack looked through lust-hazed eyes, his husband grinned down at him.

"Why, Captain Harkness-Jones! Such a dirty boy!"


	38. Gray?

Jack wanted to go home. He wanted his home, his bed, and most importantly, his own bloody loo. He wanted the newspaper and he wanted soft music and he wanted…. Ianto.

As if by magic, the one he mentally called for came striding through the doors with the most wonderful gift in his arms. Walter. As the tyke saw his Daddy Jack, he grinned back and waved cheekily over his Taddy's shoulder as Ianto turned to close the door. It was at this point Ianto realised he had been followed into the room, and he stopped with shock, then took a step back as another man entered. He looked younger than Jack, but the blue eyes and angry glare were unmistakably Harkness.

Those eyes raked Ianto's body encased in the RAF coat, and then narrowed as they recognised the coat.

"Gray?" Jack gasped from the bed.

"Jack! What the hell is going on? I come to the station looking for you and they say you are in hospital. What the hell, I don't even rate a phone call?" Gray demanded as he strode to the bed and thumped the edge of it.

"Hey, hey. Calm down. I had no way of contacting you. We were bloody undercover somewhere, as usual. Don't get shirty with me, little brother!" Jack snapped back.

"Daddy!" Walter was sick of waiting and wanted his presence known.

Ianto felt the little body starting to stiffen and recognised a tantrum forming, so he stepped around the other man and plonked his son on the bed, who immediately threw himself into Jack's arms and kissed him.

"Hello you wonderful superman!" Jack smiled and hugged Walter to him like he'd not seen him for weeks. "I've been so lonely without my guy!"

Walter made a little "aw" noise and pulled back to stroke his face. "Love you, Daddy."

Jack sucked in a sharp breath as the "Jack" part was left off. The last few days, Walter kept doing that, and Jack loved it no end. He was no longer an addition, he was now part of Walter's foundations, and he grinned madly up at his beloved to see if he'd caught it too.

Ianto smiled and nodded. Jack suddenly realised he was not getting a kiss, and then remembered Gray was there. He focused his gaze back on his little brother, who was now staring openly at Ianto like he was the last piece of chocolate gateau at a fat convention.

"Gray, this is my husband! Ianto Harkness-Jones, Yan, this is my little brother Gray," Jack called dibs as quickly as he could. Gray's eyes widened a fraction and Jack knew he'd been only seconds from a slanderous comment. Crisis averted, Gray turned to Jack and mouthed, "Husband?"

"Things got a bit dire, little bro. We had little time to prepare and I wanted to be hitched to this man so much that I demanded a death bed wedding. Got it too!" Jack grinned proudly. "He even snogged me silly as they were preparing me for surgery. I went to sleep with a lovely Ianto buzz."

"Stop it!" Ianto snapped with that tell-tale twinkle in his eyes that told Jack he wasn't in trouble at all, and Jack grinned wider.

"So what did ya need, little brother?" Jack addressed Gray, who was now examining the mocha-coloured limpet on Jack's chest.

"Hmm? Oh, money. Hey there," Gray caught Walter's eye, and he frowned up at the stranger. "I'm your Uncle Gray."

Walter looked over at Ianto for proof, and Ianto nodded. Walter sat up and looked hard at the man who Daddy seemed to like. Tadda seemed a bit scared, but then he always was with other people. Walter frowned as he processed this then stared again as he recognised his Daddy's eyes on the stranger. Huh, maybe he had good cuddles too, then. Finally Walter decided he liked him and smiled back.

Jack knew his little man was giving the Jones Charm Smile as Gray's face melted with delight and he bent down to touch the little boy's face. "So gorgeous, you are quite the scene stealer, aren't you, lovely boy?"

"I don't steal. Bad men steal and Myfanwy eat them!" Walter declared, and Gray huffed with delight.

"Myfanwy is our dog," Ianto felt the need to clarify, and Gray smiled at the rich Welsh vowels filling the room in such a lovely deep voice.

"Such a confident little talker. Melissa was… Well." Gray cleared his throat, then looked at his brother in apology.

He saw no grief or anger. In the past, the mention of her name shut down any and all conversation, but now Gray saw a spark of the brother he'd once known and loved as Jack looked at the little boy with adoration.

"Yeah, he can count to twenty and knows all his colours, don't you, clever clogs?" Jack said to Walter, who preened as he lay back against Jack's chest.

"I'm not clever clogs, I am Walter the Clever Bum!" he declared, and Ianto let out a peel of delighted laughter as his own voice was perfectly parodied in Walter's little one.

Cheeky monkey.


	39. Jeeves?  I beg your pardon!

Jack was finally allowed home and Ianto was having kittens as he checked for the umpteenth time if he had chilled the chocolate milk Jack preferred.

Walter was carefully colouring a picture of a fire truck and Ianto silently thanked Tosh for her thoughtful gift. If only everyone could be so easily distracted.

The noise outside told him Jack had arrived. Although Ianto had wanted to collect him himself, he understood Gray's need to do something for his brother and had stayed behind plumping the cushions. Ianto gave the room one last glare, then with a chop of his hand to the top of the cushion he left the main room and headed down the hall for the back door.

Janet sat patiently waiting and Ianto wondered if it was for Jack or just a chance to escape. As the door opened he got his answer with the she-devil cat shooting out into the street.

Jack cursed and struggled to stay upright on his crutches as Janet weaved between his legs and Gray grabbed his brother's shoulders to stabilise him. Jack wondered if Gray had met Myfanwy yet. The squeak of terror as she let out a bellow from the garage answered that one.

"What do you think of Myf?" Jack asked casually as they made their way to the front door.

"Bloody thing's insane! I swear to God, Jack. It nearly bit my manhood off!" Gray snarled.

The door opened and Jack looked up into his husband's beaming face.

"Ianto!" Jack tried to smile and swallow down his disappointment that Ianto hadn't collected him himself.

Gray propelled Jack into the house before he could catch a kiss from Ianto, and he soon found himself deposited on the sofa as Gray fussed. Jack frowned and looked for Ianto but got an armful of Walter instead.

"Hello, little man," Jack crowed, cuddling the tot who was trying to show him the colouring book and slamming it repeatedly into Jack's bruised ribs.

"Walt, stop that. Poor Daddy needs to settle first, beastie!" Ianto warned, reaching for Walter.

"It's OK Walter." Gray plucked Walter from Jack's lap and hugged him. "You just give the bestest hugs. I really need one too."

Walter gasped, then dropped the book and hugged his new uncle with renewed energy.

Gray laughed and plonked himself down next to Jack, who groaned softly at the jolt to his still tender body.

Ianto frowned and reached for his son again only to find Gray had flipped him onto the other side of his body, effectively rendering Ianto unable to grab him.

"May I have my son, please?" Ianto asked with his usual aplomb.

"He's OK here, Jeeves, you just go check the food or something," Gray demanded as he turned to Jack with a twinkle in his eye. "Guess who I saw the other day!"

Jack watched Ianto leave the room with a drug-induced lethargy. It was several minutes before his brain caught up with his ears and he recognised the insult his brother had used.

"Yan?" Jack tried to rise and Gray quickly deposited the boy into his lap. Jack tried to move Walter to one side but the boy had become a limpet as he clung to his Daddy.

Ianto appeared in the doorway with a raised eyebrow. "You screamed sir?"

"Yan? What are you doing?" Jack asked as he again tried to put Walter aside.

"I'm tending to the food, sir," Ianto replied and Jack finally caught on to the polite tone.

"Come on baby, come sit with me," Jack begged but Gray was now half lying across the sofa and there was no room.

The knock at the door startled Ianto, who growled softly. Would they give Jack no peace?

It wasn't until Ianto left, shaking his head, that Jack saw the problem and sighed. Damn.

Ianto opened the door to find two uniformed officers waiting.

"Ianto Jones?"

Ianto nodded with confusion as they surged forward.

"Mr Jones. Would you please accompany us to the station for a little sit-down?" the fat one said and Ianto found himself being propelled towards the Heddlu car.


	40. Lisa is dead

The room was bland. Could use a little colour. A plant, or maybe a tasteful print.

Ianto let his eyes trace the wood panels up the wall to the equally tacky ceiling. How many people had counted those shit-coloured tiles that must have been white originally?

He wondered idly if this was some form of torture he wasn't familiar with. Death by decor?

The door opened and the two officers entered the room. The fat one had introduced himself but Ianto couldn't remember what name he'd been given. The thin one was definitely Catherine something. Her red hair was crazy and her demeanour wasn't much better.

Perhaps he should call them Mr Fatty and Miss Red?

They regarded Ianto as if they were looking at a rare bug under a microscope. Ianto shifted in his seat and began to wonder if this was really about Kieran or not.

They took their time fluffing their folders and speaking in hushed tones. Ianto wondered if they were going to do rock-paper-scissors to see who would address him first, and chose his blandest face to match the room.

They then began placing photographs down on the table in front of him. He stared at them with open confusion. Lisa?

A picture of the two of them laughing in the park on a sunny afternoon. He'd lost this one in the fire. This must have come from her family. Why would they give these goons a picture of them both? Why was he looking at it now?

Then came the next photo. Ianto felt the world shift sideways as her lifeless face stared up at him. Well, most of her face. A cheek that had peeled back to the bone during the accident still wore the stiches but the other side was her grimace he'd been forced to watch once the machines were turned off.

He could hear her mother screaming in his head. The family had fought him as they tried to get her moved into their care but as the husband he'd had the final say. The day he'd stood by her bed and held her hand until it was cold. Watched them remove the wires and tubes. The grimace was a shock, and medical staff had explained it was just the way her muscles had settled due to the breathing tube, but the nightmares had haunted his nights for months.

As Ianto slid the chair back, he struggled to keep his stomach contents down.

The next photograph ended that dream. Ianto turned to one side and emptied the contents of his stomach on the bland floor.

Marcus.

Just as pale as Lisa's mugshot, and just as dead.


	41. dramatic entrance

Ianto tried to comprehend what he was hearing as he stared down at the bloody face of his ex-brother-in-law.

"Dead?" Ianto whispered, touching the edge of the photograph.

"The body of your brother-in-law, Marcus Hallett, was found yesterday afternoon in an abandoned warehouse. Do you have anything you want to say on the matter?" Ms Red said.

"Did … I mean, was it quick?" Ianto asked softly.

"Why. Did you want him to suffer?" Mr Fatty barked.

Ianto snorted and looked back up at the ceiling.

"Mr Jones, where were you last Friday between the hours of 3.30pm and 5pm?" Ms Red demanded.

"Friday? My husband was undergoing emergency surgery. Don't you check anything before stomping all over people?" Ianto felt his ire rising. "If you need to know why don't you ask Captain Smith?"

"Captain Smith? Why would he have anything to do with this?" Mr Fatty bristled.

"Well, from about 1pm until 8pm your captain was my constant companion. He sat with me the whole time." Ianto sighed.

"How do you know the Captain?" Ms Red asked, shuffling through her papers.

"My husband? Jack Harkness? Torchwood?" Ianto asked each question with a further rising of his eyebrow.

Both Tweedledee and Tweedledum stared at him with their mouths open.

"You are married to Jack Harkness?" Mr Fatty seemed to be undulating as his chins wobbled.

"Yes. Ianto Harkness-Jones. That's why you surprised me by calling me just Jones." Ianto tilted his head and tried for a commiserating smile. "I suppose your colleagues didn't mention that little bit of gossip and are out there right now hoping Jack will come storming in here to rip you both a new one."

Mr Fatty and Ms Red turned to each other with matching looks of horror. Right on cue, Jack's voice drifted down the hallway.

"Oh dear. That seems to be exactly what might happen." Ianto sighed and shook his head with sorrow. "I'm so sorry for this. He's a bit …protective."

"What the fuck is going on here? Ianto disappears and I go to report him missing only to find you two FUCKING IDIOTS STOLE MY IANTO!" Jack was screaming, and spit flew across the room as he punctuated the T in Ianto.

"Sir? Please calm down. These two lovely badge holders have just been informing me of Marcus's demise." Ianto smiled sweetly.

"Marcus? Dead? Really? Wow!" Jack still panted slightly from the exertion of racing through the station on crutches, and Ianto rose from his chair to offer it to him. As Jack sat, he saw the picture.

"Shit. Really?"

"We didn't mean to be so …er….excitable, Captain." Mr Fatty seemed to know Jack as he used his nickname and Ianto watched him squirm under Jack's glare.

"Did you remember anything about your own attack?" Ms Red asked politely. "It was the same warehouse."

"No shit! Wow! No, I still don't remember anything past getting my morning coffee off Gwen." Jack shook his head then turned to Ianto as he realised he'd admitted to drinking someone else's coffee.

Ianto's polite smile back told him he was in trouble again.


	42. What the Hell?

Gray had finally helped Ianto get Jack back out of the interrogation room, and Ianto didn't know if he should thank the man for driving Jack over to the station, or curse him.

When Jack had finally run out of steam, helped by the arrival of an equally angry and puffing Captain Smith, Ianto learned that Marcus had met a very sticky end. Whoever had killed him had done so with extreme malice.

He had been beaten and then, while he lay dying, the killer had shot him. And they had aimed for his crotch. Such an intimate thing, no wonder they thought it might be Ianto. Of course, the Hallett family had pointed their fingers at him as well.

Ianto was now even more determined that they never get their hands on his son.

Walter was waiting in the watch-house. It seemed the Jones Charm was still alive and kicking as several police women were cooing and clucking about the little man who sat calmly in a swivel chair, turning himself around.

Evidence of bribery was on display as the sweet wrappers that littered the desk flapped as he swung himself with his hands against the desk to push off, and the desk had two cans of soft drink on display. Oh boy, someone isn't going to bed on time tonight!

"Walter, you'll make yourself sick, my little man," Ianto warned as he entered the room.

Walter slammed both palms down on the desk and grinned up at his Tadda.

Another round of cooing ensued, and Ianto chuckled as Jack hobbled in behind him.

"Thank you ladies. As always you are bastions of the peace!" Jack gave his best Harkness Special grin and the ladies giggled like school girls.

Gray reached for Walter, scooping him into the air as Walter squealed with delight.

"There's my little star!" Gray grinned and Walter gave a perfect little snort. "We'd best get you home, young man. I bet you're hungry! Yes you are!"

"Yes ladies. Thank you for caring for my nephew," Gray said solemnly as he turned and exited past Ianto and Jack.

Ianto turned and stared at Jack, who just grinned and turned to follow his brother.

What the fuck just happened? Ianto wondered.


	43. Sorry?

Ianto sat in silence as he reflected on what had been one of the weirdest days of his life.

Marcus was dead, horribly murdered, and he had been a prime suspect. Ianto Jones, the killer next door. Ianto snorted as he watched the world fly past the window of Gray's Audi as they flew home.

Gray had taken the backseat so he could be near Walter and Ianto had felt uncomfortable with Jack driving but could not voice his opinion for the overwhelming need to vomit each time he paused his shallow breathing.

Jack was thankful for the automatic transmission in Gray's car as he struggled to maintain the facade that he was fine driving. The whole Marcus thing had freaked him slightly, as did Ianto's silence. The pain meds were also a worry, but the sight of Marcus's face in the photograph on the table had sobered him quicker that a cold shower.

Gray had more than taken a shine to Walter and Ianto couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable with the way Gray was cutting Ianto out of the parenting role. The need for a discussion with Jack grew stronger by the minute. If he could only get rid of Gray.

When they reached the house, Ianto was out of his seat and unbuckling Walter's car seat before Gray could get there. To Ianto's immense annoyance, Gray opened the door to the house, instead displaying the fact that not only did he have a key Ianto didn't know about but he also felt confident enough to enter first like he owned the damn place.

Walter released Ianto's hand to run to Gray, and Ianto decided he'd had enough.

"Thank you so much for your help today Mr Harkness," Ianto smiled politely as he plucked his son from Gray's grip.

"But I promised him …" Gray pointed to a book lying on the floor.

"Jack is the book man. I do believe you will find that my son would prefer his dad's attention." Ianto began to walk away but Gray caught his arm.

"Look here! If you knew our family you would know that we take our children's welfare very seriously." Gray leaned closer and squeezed. "If you can't see to his needs, I will!"

"Gray? Back off!" Jack barked as he pulled him away from Ianto.

As Ianto retreated, he heard Jack telling Gray it was time to leave.

Walter was playing with the bubbles in his bath when Jack entered. He sat on the edge of the bath and scooped some bubbles up, only to have Walter blow them from his hands. They both laughed but Jack stopped when Ianto stood to leave.

"Ianto, please. Gray doesn't speak for me," Jack pleaded. "He loved my little girl so much and when we lost her he went off the rails a bit. Walter is a breath of fresh air, please don't take him seriously. He's just confused about this family that grew overnight."

"I'm tired, Jack. Let's just let today go, yeah?"

Jack lay in bed long into the night as Ianto lay facing away from him, feigning sleep. Jack was confused by the day's events and now that his pain medication had dwindled and his mind was clearer, all of Gray's comments and actions were making him feel like a first class heel.

He rolled over but Ianto's back was not that appealing, so he turned back to stare into the darkness, hoping for a brighter day tomorrow.


	44. You did What?

John was drunk.

How Ianto hadn't heard the banging was beyond Jack, but thank god he hadn't, as John was so drunk he could hardly stand up. His pants were falling off his hips and his flies gaped open as John struggled to hug Jack.

He had been peeing into the hydrangea bushes by the door when Jack had opened it, and seemed quite oblivious to his half-dressed appearance. He had obviously been crying, and whatever had pushed him to this level of drunkenness couldn't be good.

Jack couldn't leave him like that. With a sigh, he levered him up

Once he had him seated on the sofa with a strong coffee, Jack asked John what had caused this meltdown.

What he told him would shake him to the core.

"We traced the phone call that called you to the warehouse. It was a burner. But we did get the CCTV footage of who was making the call. Marcus Hallett. I was so fucking angry. I tried to tell Smith but he was so distracted by Ianto that I went to Gwen instead. She is your partner, right?

"Oh God, Jack. I don't know how it happened. Gwen had the idea to confront him but it was me who lost my temper. The beating had been prolonged and brutal. Once I started I couldn't stop. The thought of you … l mean we were good together once, weren't we? Partners in every way. You were dying and I was losing you and…god forgive me.

"The only mistake had been when I thought I had won and turned my back. He was so fucking quick. One minute I was the one upright, and then the knife was against my neck.

"Gwen fired the shot. I turned and he was done for. I stomped his skull in. God, I did- sob –" I did it! You know my temper. Besides, he had it coming!"

Jack sat as still as stone as he chewed through the rushed explanation.

"John, what possessed you both?" Jack finally asked.

"I don't know. Ianto was so heartbroken. God, you didn't see. You were blissfully unconscious. He was beside himself." John whined, "It all just happened so fast."

"John, you can never tell Ianto," Jack said solemnly.

Ianto left the hallway and faded into the shadows as the two men continued talking in the main room. He quietly snuck back to bed to ponder his own secrets.

N:B A burner is a cheap pre-paid cell phone that is untraceable. You use it. Then throw it away.


	45. Secrets

Tosh was babbling as she tried to tell Ianto about her new friend but Ianto was still distracted by his secrets. 

 

Since meeting her, Tosh had finally started to hope for a real relationship. The chocolate and flowers kind of hoping.

 

“Ianto!” Tosh growled, pulling at his arm.

 

Finally Ianto looked at her and noticed for the first time that she was happy.

 

“Sorry Toshi. Not much sleep last night.” Ianto smiled.

 

Luckily, she swallowed the lie, and he realised this was a serious crush if she’d overlooked a lie that would normally have her Ianto-radar twitching.

 

Whoever this Mary was, she had definitely made an impact on Tosh.

 

“She’s brilliant, Ianto. A mentalist, like you see on telly.” Tosh giggled. “The wicked things she says people are thinking. Lord knows what she would make of Jack.”

 

“Yes, well. I’m sure even a mentalist is no match for the captain’s charm,” Ianto sighed.

 

“Ianto? What’s wrong?” Tosh asked quietly.

 

“Nothing. Like I said, I didn’t get much sleep. Ignore me.” Ianto tried another smile, and Tosh finally caught the lie.

 

“Tell your sister-in-law the problem,” she drawled in a fake American accent.

 

“Huh?” Ianto was confused by her sudden playfulness.

 

“The night of the fire Jack told them I was his sister so they would let me through.” Tosh looked closely at Ianto and became concerned.

 

“He’s good at thinking on his feet, that one,” Ianto snorted.

 

“Ianto? Come on. Your sling’s off and you’ve been given a clean bill of health. Walter has no ill effects from the fire and Jack is progressing remarkably well,” Tosh stated the obvious plus points. 

 

“Meanwhile, I’m living in his house, reliant on him for transport, and his brother wants to steal my baby!” Ianto sighed dramatically, throwing himself back in her bed.

 

The clothes Tosh had been rifling through were dumped on the floor as she crawled over to lie beside him. She placed her hand on his shoulder and mimicked his dramatic sigh.

 

“Woe is me. My poor beloved Ianto, whom is mine own true brother, is but injured of the mind!” she burbled nonsense which usually led to a longwinded lecture from Ianto on the correct word usage in a conversation, but … nothing.

 

“Yani? What is it?” she whispered, her hand finding his.

 

“I don’t know if me and Jack are gonna make it,” Ianto whispered back, and Tosh made a small sound in her throat.

 

“He has a secret. A big one,” he murmured to the ceiling.

 

“And you don’t?”


	46. Wife?

Jack looked up from the file he was reading when he heard the front door open and close. Ianto was home.

 

“How’s the Tosh-meister?” he called out.

 

“In love, apparently,” Ianto replied as he entered the office. “Some bird called Mary. Thing is, I never even suspected she was bi. Always boy lusting!”

 

Jack was seated at his desk pouring over files, his crutches standing in the corner. A few more days and he’d move to a cane as his knee continued to heal from the beating. Walter was colouring in at Jack’s feet and his little tongue was held between his teeth in concentration.

 

Ianto leaned against the desk and looked down at Walter, who was breaking a rule about no crayons in any room other than the main room on the table. He knew Jack had allowed this so he let it slide, but he would have to remind Jack later that rules were rules with Walt.

 

“What you got there, snot?” Ianto smiled as he looked down at the stick figures and scribbles that must be clothing. 

 

“Is that Daddy in his big coat?” Ianto pointed to a stickman with blue scribble covering him, and Walter beamed with delight.

 

“Yeah. Daddy,” Walter agreed.

 

“Well, that fine-looking one must be Walter.” Ianto pointed to a smaller stick figure with red scribbles.

 

“Yeah. Walter in fireman PJs.” Walter clapped.

 

“And so, that must be…me?” Ianto looked at the other figure that looked the biggest, and frowned at the brown scribble on him. He never wore brown.

 

“Unca Gray!” Walter laughed at Ianto’s silly mistake.

 

“Oh brilliant, Walt. But where am I?” Ianto asked.

 

“You’re in kitchen getting food. You’re wife!” Walter scoffed as he got to his feet and toddled over to Jack with the picture.

 

“I beg your pardon? Walter, who told you that?” Ianto was scandalised.

 

Jack looked up from his reading as Walter tugged on his leg and took the picture with excited noises.

 

“Walter, Taddy asked a question, young man!” Ianto was frowning now as his son ignored him.

 

“Lighten up honey, he’s showing me something. Any chance of a sandwich while you’re up?” Jack said absently as he examined the drawing with pursed lips.

 

As Ianto stomped from the room he heard Jack behind him using a fake English accent, “Yes, a most excellent interpretation of the family unit, I must say, young master Walter.”

 

Oh yes, they were definitely having words later.


	47. look me up

Jack was already in bed when Ianto exited the bathroom and all hopes of a conversation fled.

It had become their habit to discuss things in the bedroom where Walter couldn't hear them arguing. More often than not it moved to make-up sex, as they could never stay angry at one another for trivial things.

In the days following Jack's return there had been quite a bit of make-up sex and they had crossed a new bridge in their relationship when Ianto had admitted Jack was the only partner who turned him on like that. Jack's preening had been immense.

Tonight's discussion/argument had been going through Ianto's head as he showered, and he was ready to be calm and reasonable but the speech he'd rehearsed to the tiles needed to be voiced. Now, as he viewed the waiting bed, his hopes were dashed.

Walter was cuddled against Jack in the middle of the bed as Jack read to him. The black-framed glasses Jack wore for reading when he was tired always turned Ianto on, but tonight he had really wanted to discuss Gray.

As Ianto slid into his side of the bed, Walter reached out a hand. Ianto absently kissed the palm, drawing from Walter, who closed his eyes. How can you stay mad with that in the bed?

"You OK, hon?" Jack asked quietly as he noted Ianto's annoyance.

"Nothing that can't wait." Ianto's answer worried Jack a bit - what had he done now?

"Anything else you wanna talk about?" Jack removed his glasses and focused on his husband.

"Tosh. I know it sounds like the green-eyed monster but she seems so smitten with this Mary character and I'm a little nervous about it." Ianto chose a subject Jack would be interested in.

Jack pulled his laptop over and logged onto his work computer. "What's her name?"

"Mary Arcateen," Ianto confirmed as Jack began typing.

"Hmm. Strange. Says here that she had quite a rap sheet for confidence tricking, extortion, and… shit. She has connections to the Hoodlums!" Jack spluttered.

The HOODLUMS were the thorn in his paw. He had never made anything stick with this lot because their legal team were fantastic, but this local mob of thugs ran the estates. Ianto had frozen at that bit of information, and frowned as he wondered just what Mary's deal was.

"Jack? Can you look up anyone on this site?" Ianto finally asked.

"Sure. What, got an old flame? No. No, you want me to look up the school bully?" Jack teased.

"No. Look up me," Ianto answered.


	48. Rap

"What?" Jack thought he had heard wrong.

"Look up my rap sheet," Ianto repeated as he pulled the blankets up to tuck in their snoozing boy.

Jack's fingers moved quickly across the keypad as he typed in Ianto's name.

"Captain, it's Ifan. Not Ianto," Ianto corrected him, and Jack froze.

"Yan?" Jack looked over the tops of his frames at Ianto in confusion.

"My legal name is Ifan. Didn't you read the marriage certificate? Ianto is the abbreviation. Like Billy for William." Ianto rolled his eyes. Seriously, how long had Jack lived in Wales?

"Well you learn something new every day!" Jack said softly as he re-typed the name.

Ianto snorted as his love began to read the document, and as his face fell, Ianto thought to himself that Jack was certainly learning something today.

"Ianto, I mean." Jack struggled to comprehend the rap sheet.

Name: Ifan "Ianto" Jones

DOB 19 August 1983

Height: 5ft 11'

Eye colour: Blue

Hair brown

Affiliations: Hoodlums enforcer Idris Hopper

Hoodlums associate Martha Jones

Hoodlums associate Eugene Jones

Hoodlums solicitor Harriet Jones

Upheld Charges: Shoplifting. Extortion. Grievous bodily harm. Concealed weapon.

"I had a bit of a rough patch as a teen. A bit of a bugger, me." Ianto sighed as he mentally went through the rap sheet.

"Rough patch? You are a Hoodlum?" Jack whispered.

"No. My brother, Eugene, was a Hoodlum, as is my cousin Martha. Idris was Eugene's partner. When Eugene was killed it changed Idris. He became a different person. I tried to help him but it was too late. Finally he turned on me like he had turned on everyone else. Blamed me for Eugene's death. Like if I'd been there that night Gene wouldn't have been mown down by the car but… I don't know." Ianto waited for a response, and Jack pondered it for a while.

"So the gun you had that night …" Jack asked.

"Was from Martha. It's clean, I swear!" Ianto assured him, but Jack was confused.

"So this is why I've only ever met Rhia?" Jack looked at Ianto, who nodded.

"My family kind of disowned me when Gene died. They believed Idris that I was to blame, and I've never had the strength to pursue a relationship with them again. Rhia never got into the whole scene so she was always on the outside." Ianto rubbed Walter's back as he snuffled and dug deeper into Jack's side.

The next morning, breakfast was a silent affair. Jack had called John while Ianto was getting Walter ready for Rhia, and as he carried Walter through to the kitchen, he found Jack preparing to leave.

"Going somewhere cariad?" Ianto asked as Walter reached for the sippy cup Ianto had placed on the table.

"Work," Jack answered, and the monosyllabic answer caused Ianto's stomach to clench.

"Oh, OK. Rhia will be here in a minute then…" Ianto began, but Jack shook his head.

"No. John is coming to get me. I don't need you." Jack left the room as Ianto gaped at his retreating back.


	49. give him back

When Ianto got the phone call, he was filing in the archives. The library was empty and as the ringtone echoed off the walls, Ianto struggled to reach for the phone, swearing as books tumbled to the floor.

"Ianto here," he answered.

"Yan? It's Rhia."

"Hello love." Ianto smiled.

"Walter left his bag behind and I didn't notice until now," she continued.

"Huh? What do you mean? Where is he?" Ianto panicked.

"Gray, Jack's gorgeous brother collected him. Jack was running late and called ahead. Why? You did remember it was only a half day today, didn't you?" she laughed. "God, how many more of these Adonises do you have hidden away?"

He had forgotten. "Jack was to pick him up, wasn't he?"

"Yes but he's running late. God, keep up, little brother!" she admonished.

Ianto thanked her and hung up as his mind went into overdrive. Gray had him? With a growl of annoyance, he called Jack.

"Yes? I'm kind of busy Ianto," Jack barked, and Ianto frowned at the phone. No hello? No term of endearment? Ianto knew his caller ID must have shown on Jack's phone.

"Well, I get that. After all you are too busy to collect my son like you promised. Please get your brother to bring him to me so I don't bother you or your brother with my responsibilities, sir," Ianto asked politely.

The silence was unnerving.

"Jack? I don't have your brother's mobile number. I want my son back!" Ianto demanded.

"Ianto, Gray dropped him off to you over an hour ago! What are you talking about?" Jack finally replied. "His text message said 70 minutes ago outside your place of work. How about you go find your son in your library there and we'll talk tonight."

"Jack! Walter is not here! I never saw your brother! Return him now or I will contact your buddies downstairs and have you brother arrested for kidnapping!" Ianto blasted before slamming the phone down.

He stared at the phone as it began to ring, and although he knew it was Jack he also knew it was the work phone so he had to answer.

"Cardiff South Library. How may I help you today?" Ianto politely said.

"Yan! I can't get Gray on the phone. Please think before you do something stupid!" Jack was begging, and Ianto's anger rose even more at the news.

"Where was he taking my son?" Ianto said slowly.

"To you. He was supposed to take him to you," Jack assured him. "We're looking for him now!"

"You have lost my son?" Ianto was incredulous. After everything that had happened, this seemed to be far too soap opera-like for him to comprehend.

"I'm looking, tiger. I promise I'll have him home soon."


	50. inding My Son

“Ianto? Is that really you?”

 

“Yeah. Martha, I’m sorry but I’m in a real bind here. I know Rhia has been keeping you up to date with my wonderful Stepford life but as you probably know, I’ve started a new relationship.”

 

“Ah, yes. The cop!” Martha intoned in typical Jones fashion. Although adopted, she really had their mannerisms down pat.

 

“Yes. His brother has taken my son … Well, OK, maybe I’m exaggerating. His brother picked up my son and has not dropped him off as agreed; it’s been nearly four hours and we can’t get a trace on his phone,” Ianto informed her. 

 

He could hear her heels clicking as she walked. The echoing clicks down the phone as she took the phone to another room gave him a chance to sit down and calm himself.

 

“Ianto, I think you need to hear something,” Martha said at last. “Please be calm.”

 

“Yani? Dat you, brodda?”

 

Ianto stared at the exotic beastie masquerading as a phone. “Idris?”

 

“Randem. Hey boy. Look, I’s wanting to be, like, I need to holla at yas.”

 

“Idris? Please take the phone somewhere private to talk to me. You know I hate Chav.”

 

“Sorry Yani. I had my crew there, ya know?” Idris’s normal voice came down the line after a few beats, and Ianto smiled.

 

“You sound good. God, Iddi, you sound great!” Ianto informed him.

 

“Yeah. I really need to … shit. I went a bit nuts for a while and I am so sorry for ...”

 

“Iddi, I’m sorry too. Let’s just put a line under it, yeah? We both lost so much that night.” Ianto didn’t want this conversation now.

 

“Now. What’s this I hear about your little monster?” Idris was back on track.

 

“Jack’s brother, a man called Gray, picked Walter up from Rhia’s without my knowledge and we can’t find them. He was meant to drop him off to me but it never happened.” Ianto felt his fear returning and swallowed it down. “It’s been over four hours and neither I nor Jack can get hold of Gray.”

 

“Gray Harkness? The undercover prick? Shit. Give me a few, brodda, ah sorry. Slips in. Ya know how it is.” Idris sighed his apology for the Chav.

 

“Yeah. Mentals, man,” Ianto snarked back, and Idris’s laugh was lovely to hear.

 

Ianto trusted his friend to do more digging that Jack could ever do, and settled down to wait. His past and future were about to collide, and all he could do was wait.


	51. Kick-ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You are so lucky that I love you!

Jack’s anger had given way to fear as Gray’s phone went straight to answerphone yet again. Gray never left his phone unanswered for this long. Jack was watching John and Gwen as they shouted down phones and struggled to find any CCTV footage of the two members of his family he was desperate to find.

 

Tosh had been called in by Gwen, and Jack was too shocked to care as she effortlessly hacked into their main system and then triangulated Gray’s phone from nearby cell towers.

 

“Even though he’s not on it, it is still on. Until the battery goes dead, we have an idea of where he is. These warehouses!” she declared, and Jack groaned as a familiar warehouse came on screen. 

 

The vehicles were all black, four in total. Jack heard the blood pounding in his ears as he recognised the preferred car of the local Triad Gray had infiltrated in his latest undercover assignment.

 

John’s expletives matched Jack’s own as they began to gather for a raid.

.

.

.

They arrived in true Heddlu fashion, with screaming brakes and manic grins.

 

Exiting the vehicles, they moved to surround the building. As Jack readied his crew to enter, he nervously clutched at the cane John had given him before leaving the base.

 

They noted the vehicles already parked had been joined by flashy SUVs of varying colours and each pimped out to the max. Gwen pointed to one with open distaste. HODLUM stared back. Another stated it was HDLMFB while FBHOOL was a weird green one John was scraping his boot on.

 

“Looks like someone got here before us!” He crowed as he looked over the array of Hoodlum vehicles.

 

A scream from inside the building goaded them to action, and they stormed the place with guns drawn.

 

“Jack!” Gwen barked as she levelled her gun at the man who had Gray by the arm.

 

“Don’t just stand there ya muppet, help me get him out of here!” the man snarled, and Jack reached for his brother.

 

“No. Walter, get Walter,” Gray gasped as he stumbled past Jack.

 

“Looks like the local Triads found their leak.” John sneered, “Told you he was flying too close to the sun this time.”

 

“Shut up and find my baby!” Jack snarled, but a familiar shout had him running before John could reply.

 

Entering the main area of the warehouse, he was struck dumb by what he saw. Sliding to a halt, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.

 

Ianto had a gun aimed at the head of the leader of the Triads. Several bodies littered the floor and Hoodlums stood firm behind Ianto.

 

The dark gunmetal grey suit hugged Ianto’s lean frame and his jacket lay discarded on the ground, leaving a gunmetal arse that pertly sat below the dark purple silk that backed the waistcoat.

 

Ianto looked like he was a soldier. Like he belonged. God, he looked so fucking hot!

 

“Prey they survive,” Ianto snarled as he pulled the trigger.

 

Jack gasped as the gun revealed itself to be a stun gun, and as the man lay twitching at Ianto’s feet, Ianto finally looked up at Jack.

 

“Find our son!”


	52. Backlash

Jack was frantically searching for Walter as Ianto strutted around like he had the biggest balls in the place and Jack was beginning to wonder just how much he had underestimated this man’s strength.

 

The Hoodlums automatically looked to Ianto as Idris helped search. Ianto simply waited to either hold his son or kill those who lay quietly begging and shaking at his feet.

 

Finally, Gwen came into view. Walter was hugging her around the neck and when he saw his Taddy he burst into tears as Ianto dropped the gun and surged over to his baby.

 

One of the men on the ground reached for the gun, and Idris growled softly as he aimed his colt .45 at the man’s head. “Really?”

 

Ianto anxiously searched Walter for injuries but found his son was only distressed. Turning to Idris, Ianto nodded then stalked from the main area and proceeded to leave the warehouse.

 

“Yan! Wait!” Jack called, but Ianto didn’t falter. 

 

As Jack hobbled outside, he saw Ianto getting into the “HODLUM” vehicle. Jack could only watch in growing horror as Idris jumped behind the wheel and an attractive black woman climbed in the passenger seat, then they sped off.

 

Gray was leaning against the outside of the building, and Jack turned to face him with his mouth still hanging open.

 

“Well, well, well. You never told me I was pissing off a kingpin in the Hoodlums.” Gray snorted, “All this time I thought you had a little wife but you actually have a bloody tiger by the tail, brother!”

 

Jack could only grunt.  
.

.

.

Jack entered the house with trepidation. There was the sound of laughter, and Jack relaxed a fraction as he realised that Ianto hadn’t left him.

 

He entered the main room and Walter ran to meet him. Jack dropped his cane and fell to his knees, ignoring the bite from the injured one. Walter was OK. Everything would work out.

 

Ianto was holding the hand of the black woman, and now that Jack was closer to her, he felt stupid. It was Martha - Ianto’s cousin. Idris was standing with a hand on Ianto’s shoulder, and as Ianto turned to face him, Jack saw him smiling.

 

“Hey gorgeous,” Jack tried with a purr.

 

“Husband,” Ianto said dryly.

 

“Husband? Really?” Idris raised an eyebrow and stared down at Jack, who was struggling to rise with a limpet attached to his neck.

 

“Walter, let your Daddy up, please,” Ianto growled, and Walter finally let go with a giggle.

 

“Thank you snot.” Jack finally rose to face Ianto eye to eye.

 

“I would rather put a line under today and move on, but I think we both need clear the air. Would you excuse us, please?” Ianto said politely as Tosh pushed past Ianto to give Walter a sandwich.

 

Jack followed Ianto to their bedroom and prepared himself for an epic fight. He knew he deserved all the woe he was going to get but he had some of his own bloody things to say.

 

Ianto’s lips smashing into his before the door closed was a surprise, but when the bed met the back of his knees and Jack realised that Ianto had waltzed him across the room, he didn’t really care anymore.

 

Ianto kissed his way down Jack’s chest as he removed both of their clothing. Jack could only whimper with need.

 

“Jack, I need you,” Ianto whispered in his ear. “I need you in me. Now!”

 

Jack thought he might swallow his tongue if he tried to speak, so he settled for a whine as Ianto kissed him deeply while pumping his throbbing member. Ianto was finger-fucking himself, and he leaned back on his heels as he pushed another finger in, causing Jack to groan again as he watched the show.

 

All too soon, Ianto was straddling him and panting with lust as slicked fingers held Jack’s fellow erect so Ianto could impale himself.

 

There was no foreplay here, no gentle build up. Ianto fucked Jack into the mattress. Pillows fell from the bed as Jack scrabbled for purchase, finding a better angle to thrust up into Ianto, who was howling with pleasure each time Jack hit his sweet spot.

 

As Jack felt his fire erupt into a volcano of hot come, he pumped frantically. Ianto looked down and gave a wanton leer that was Jack’s final undoing. Jack cried out with pleasure as Ianto convulsed above him, lost in his own orgasm.

 

Finally, Ianto fell into Jack’s arms to lie in his embrace as Jack pumped a few more times, then rested. As Jack became limp, he slid from Ianto’s body, both sighing at the sudden loss.

 

“Some line under today, tiger!” Jack panted, and Ianto laughed softly into his chest.

 

“Some shouting later, maybe, but know first and foremost, I love you,” Ianto murmured as they drifted off to sleep.


	53. draw that

Jack decided it was time to talk. Walter was in bed and they had the house to themselves.

Jack sat on the sofa and reached for the remote. Ianto looked at him in surprise as the TV flicked off.

"Ianto. I have things I need to say. I want you to listen and let me get this out. No lines under things or laters. Please?" Jack begged, and Ianto nodded.

"I want to start by saying that I love you."

"I also want to say that I think we need to move."

Ianto opened his mouth but stopped before anything came out. He settled back and nodded for Jack to continue.

"I want us to find a home for us. Not your house, not my house. Our home."

Ianto smiled and slowly nodded.

"I want a wedding. A real wedding. I want flowers, Walter in a tux, and you naked and wanton on our honeymoon. No bloody doves though! White pigeons are just waiting to poo on me!"

Ianto snorted and nodded.

"I want our families to get along. I want barbeques and picnics and all the sappy family stuff. I want the fair!"

Ianto giggled and covered his mouth at the last part.

"Yeah, I know you laugh, Mr Harkness-Jones, but really? I want it all!"

"You really gonna quote songs at me now, Mr Bon Jovi?" Ianto finally spoke.

"Huh? Who?"

"Oh honey, you have been missing out." Ianto laughed as he leaned in to kiss his husband.

.

.

.

Jack came out the next morning to find his breakfast ready for him as always, but instead of the morning paper he saw a bridal magazine.

"Babe?" Jack waved it at Ianto.

"I've marked several pages with ideas. Any you don't like, remove the coloured tags. Those left go into the ideas book," Ianto explained.

"Ideas book?" Jack gaped.

"Well, I need to start planning if we are having a Christmas wedding," Ianto said softly as he placed Walter's porridge down.

"Christmas? That soon? You think we can swing it?" Jack beamed.

"Well, it is a couple of months away. Not like we need to do colour wheels or whatever girls do. Blue and silver as a theme. Your police colours and Walter's favourite colours as well." Ianto shrugged.

"But I love you in red." Jack pouted.

"Red cummerbunds and red roses in our lapels then." Ianto sighed as he reached for a pad and began listing stuff.

"Oh, oh, oh!" Jack put his hand up like he was back in school.

"Yes Mr Harkness-Jones?" Ianto gave his best schoolteacher voice, making Jack shiver.

"Can I have a big cake? Like tiers and stuff?" Jack jiggled in his seat, and Ianto smiled.

"Three, I think. Chocolate bottom, banana top, and marble cake to join the two?" Ianto muttered.

Jack smacked his lips together at the thought of such a cake. Chocolate bottom sounds yummy.


	54. tosh

Owen was surprised when Ianto entered his office, but he had grown to like the young man, and waved him to a nearby chair.

With a scathing look, Ianto carefully removed the folders and looked around the messy office with a frown.

"Hey, I have a system here, mate!" Owen sniped as he snatched the files and threw them onto a nearby stack that proceeded to collapse onto the floor.

"Yes Owen. Impressive," Ianto droned with an eye roll.

"Well? Can't all be Mr. Mom now, can we?" Owen sniffed. "Jack's office at home is just plain scary!"

"Bless. Something actually scares you? The mighty Doctor Harper?" Ianto clasped his hands to his bosom and swooned.

"Smartarse!" Owen snarled with good humour.

"Owen!" Ianto said. Owen immediately noted the serious tone and leaned forward.

"Jack and I are getting married."

"FUCK ME! I dreamed about this. Quick, where's Jack? We gotta warn him about a warehouse and your weird workmate," Owen said as he grabbed Ianto's hands with wide-eyed horror.

"Smartarse," Ianto parroted back.

"OK, what do you need, my little blossom?" Owen asked as he turned to reach for his coffee cup, which sat precariously on another stack of files.

"Firstly, never say that again. The only blossom will be the blood from your nose. Secondly, will you be my second?" Ianto caught the files as they began their descent, and Owen stared at him.

"Huh?"

"Gray will be Jack's best man and I want you to be mine." Ianto rolled his eyes.

"Shit! What about your Idris bloke?" Owen grinned.

"No. He was for Lisa, and I want good luck this time. You have only ever helped me and I want you by our sides," Ianto declared.

Owen puffed to twice his normal size in the chair as he nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh yeah, and Tosh is my maid of honour as well. You don't mind, do you? Sitting with her and dancing with her for the first couples dance?" Ianto asked with wide eyes.

"Oh, well, for you, mate. Sure." Owen was jiggling now, and Ianto smiled to himself as he began Operation Tosh and Owen.


	55. comp time

It was the night of the wedding rehearsal dinner. The first time their two families would be together, and Ianto was like a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

Ianto was looking fantastic in his pinstripe suit and Jack's fingers had itched to pull on that perfectly Windsor-knotted tie. As they headed for the car, Ianto had stopped and placed his hands on Jack's shoulders.

"I love you. Please know, no matter what happens tonight, that I love you." Ianto seemed so sincere that Jack didn't laugh, but it definitely did nothing to ease the butterflies in his gut.

The car was Ianto's brand new Austin Martin. He felt weird about it but Jack had insisted he accept it as a wedding gift, and Ianto was now horrified at the cufflinks in his bedside drawer for Jack. Cufflinks for a car?

It was dark green, almost black, and Ianto had been so excited that Jack had got very little sleep that night. Even the little car seat that Jack had sourced to fit was perfect. Ianto told himself to stop looking for mistakes and embrace this thing. He was trying, but really? Jack had assured Ianto that his family had more money that sense, and now Ianto knew it was going to be a disaster. The gun through the window should have been expected, right?

So here they were, driving through darkened streets with a gun to his head and Jack having some sort of fit in the passenger seat. Ianto thanked god for Tosh taking Walter ahead with her and Owen so he and Jack could have a little time together before leaving. Still, the empty car seat in the back kept mocking Ianto in the mirror.

"You sure this isn't Idris playing a joke?" Jack asked for at least the tenth time, and Ianto beat the carjacker in his snarled response to shut up.

They drew up to an intersection and it erupted with lights and sounds. Sirens, screaming, and Jack reaching between the seats to pummel the would-be carjacker was a little too much.

Ianto struggled from the seatbelt and fell from the car. On his hands and knees, he crawled from the car as Jack's roars of rage were accompanied by shouts as his colleagues tried to pull him from the now unconscious idiot who'd chosen the wrong car.

Ianto found himself on the kerbside vomiting into the gutter, Captain Smith gently rubbing his shoulders as he told him Jack had actually been texting him during the journey instead of playing with himself. He looked up just in time to see the Taser. Jack jiggled and flailed inside the small space before finally resting, and hysterical laughter threatened as the boys in blue pulled two unconscious men from the car.

With Jack under the streetlamps, many now recognised the face of the man they'd just tased, and an argument broke out over who would claim responsibility. All the while, the carjacker was quietly sliding along the back of the car in a bid for freedom.

"Oi! Mandems. Ya slip one more step in da dark and I end yas!" Idris's voice rang out.

Ianto looked up with horror as Idris stepped into the light with his entourage. The men had their guns drawn and their teeth exposed in snarls as they advanced on the hapless carjacker. On his way to the rehearsal dinner, Idris had happened upon this strange scene. He was not a happy bunny. Obviously recognising the head of the Hoodlums, the man fell to his knees and begged for mercy.

The police naturally drew right back and a standoff ensued. Ianto decided this was enough.

"All of you, put your fucking guns away before I kill someone!" Ianto roared as he stalked between the two factions.

"Idris? You gonna be da man? Snug it away?" Ianto demanded as he pointed at the stub nose gun.

The police stood open-mouthed as one of the most feared local identities hung his head and meekly holstered his weapon, as did the other three.

"Monkey, hows bouts ya help da blues wit dat randem?" Ianto spoke to the large gorilla in a suit.

The man Ianto called Monkey was built like a WWE wrestler, and taking two huge steps forward, he picked up the carjacker by his shirt with one hand, then threw him into the fray of blue uniforms.

"Stinky, ya need to let the wee chippies be, mon! Jesus Christ Almighty on a Harley! Wot yas wearin', mon? Ya mammy's curtains?" Ianto turned his attention to the other bodyguard, who must have needed most of the backseat for himself. Stinky shrugged in his Hawaiian shirt and grinned at Ianto as his chins folded like a fan.

"And as for you, ya bloody beanpole. Shit skidmark. Thems is mental kicks, brodah!" Ianto looked at the shoes with open awe.

The skinny man preened and turned a foot sideways so Ianto could see that the blue neon light went all the way around the tread, and Ianto stifled a snort.

"Dey takes a whole AA battery each Toto!" he proudly told Ianto as he did a twirl on his heels and then proceeded to moonwalk in the glowing shoes.

Idris stared at his gang member with open horror, then looked at the shoes.

"You didn't have those when you got in the car, boy!" he pointed at the shoes.

"Did too. Just needed to change da batteries, mon!" the answer came.

Jack regained consciousness to laugher as the police and Skidmark's friends all brayed.

.

.

.

Challenge. What happens next? Think of a scenario for the wedding. What could go wrong? Anyone who guesses one of the approaching mishaps wins a prize. Also spot prizes for originality and if anyone wants to do a little "what if" piece I would love it!

I'm only giving you 48 hours as I post daily.


	56. Mental!

Having apologised for the confusion, the police had insisted they escort them to the dinner. Jack insisted on driving, and if he ground his teeth any harder they might explode.

Idris was driving with hysterical giggles at the thought of the Heddlu actually helping the Hoodlums, and Skidmark was frantically texting the crew that they weren't under arrest and not to attempt a rescue. Monkey had taken a shine to one of the officers who had shyly given her number and was now texting the smutty things only a steroid junkie would find funny. Stinky? Well, he had found a packet of crisps in the Austin Martin that Walter must have snuck in earlier in the day, before returning to the SUV as he was building his physique.

The hysterical laughter finally bubbled to the surface and Ianto buried his face in the crook of his arm against the doorframe as he shook with mirth. Jack mistook it for crying and tried to pull over. As they were in the world's weirdest conga line, that didn't work, and he was forced to drive the rest of the way thinking he had ruined the evening with his temper.

Upon arrival (over an hour late) the guests were found waiting outside. They watched with open awe as the first Heddlu car screamed into the parking lot followed by the gleaming Austin Martin. Idris and his crew rolled in behind Ianto with their stereo loudly blasting the lovely song Freaks as Skidmark hung out the window of the pimped up ride screaming obscenities at someone he had recognised from the night before at the pub.

The second car had Captain Smith with the Police colours, then two more Heddlu completed the ensemble.

Ianto shakily exited the vehicle and stood, facing the crowd. With his nerves shot and adrenalin racing, he did the only thing that seemed to make sense. He bowed.

Everyone clapped, and Jack stood on the other side of the car staring at the crowd.

At this moment, Skidmark managed to crawl out of the window he had previously decorated and attacked the man who had insulted his shoes the night before.

As John Hart shrieked and ran between partygoers with a rabid beanpole on his heels, Jack approached his father-in-law. He reached out his hand to shake with the tall glowering man when John burst from the crowd and grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket.

"Jackie! He's mental!" John screamed as the skinny man erupted from the throng and ran at him like an extra from The Walking Dead.

Jack calmly swung an open hand, clipping Skidmark in the head, and with an undignified squeak he fell to the ground.

Idris swaggered over to the crumpled suit that resembled a bag of bones and frowned down at it.

"Skidmark. Stop being mentals!" he demanded, and the man clambered to his feet, apologised to Ianto with a plea for lenience and a Godfather-style kiss to his hand, then stomped back to the SUV.

"Mr Jones, pleasure to meet you," Jack tried again and this time, to his delight, the man actually smiled.

"Doctor, actually."


	57. Doctors at the Table

"You didn't tell me your father was a bloody doctor," Jack hissed at Ianto as they reached their table to sit.

"Hmm? Oh, not medical. Just doctorate in Science and Astrological Science. Loves the stars and such," Ianto murmured as he watched Skidmark being placed at the kiddies' table.

Walter's Jones Stare had Skidmark freeze in his seat then grin as he noticed the candy bowl. Ianto groaned softly. Not good.

"You telling me he's an astrophysicist?" Jack gasped.

"Huh? Oh for god's sake! It's just a piece of paper, Jack. Let it go. You don't see me waving mine about, do you?" Ianto snapped before preening nervously.

Jack gaped at Ianto, then jumped as the sound of a scream filled the room. He looked over to see his mother being accosted by Stinky, who had decided she was taking too long at the buffet table. He was reaching around her as he pushed his huge mass into her, forcing her back against the table. Jack's father was trying vainly to extradite her but all he succeeded in doing was pushing her further back until she was seated on the table with her mouth open.

"Stinky! Get the fuck away from the food, ya bloody gobshite!" Idris's voice rang out and as Stinky backed away, Jack saw his mother laughing as she climbed down.

Jack stared at his husband as he shot his cuffs and checked his tie for the third time.

"You have a doctorate?" he finally whispered with wide eyes.

"Yep. Doctorate in Science and one in Literature. Also did a course in architecture when I thought I might like to build houses. Bit silly that, eh?" Ianto snorted at himself as he frowned at the polished silverwear.

Jack was now fully engaged and leaned forward to stare at Ianto as a silver fork got a swift polishing from the napkin.

"You can design and build a house?" he said slowly.

"For god's sake! Who put the centrepiece on the kids' table?" Ianto growled as Skidmark knocked it to the floor while he wrestled with a little girl for the gummy bears.

"What? Yes, yes. I can design and build houses. Whoopity do. Not like I'll ever do it, will I?" Ianto turned to face his husband as he spoke, and froze.

"Why not? I can afford it. Our own tailor made home?" Jack grinned with glee. "You still own the land your house was on. That huge backyard?"

"Actually, about that." Ianto frowned.

"What?" Jack widened his eyes.

"Tadda is a master tailor, so don't make a joke about it!"

"Tadda? I thought your dad was the doctor." Jack was so confused. He was never going to work out the weird family dynamics of Ianto's family. His mother and father dead so his natural father and his husband took him? Enough to hurt your head, right behind your eyes.

"Yes, he is. The other one." Ianto pointed as he rolled his eyes, and Jack looked over as Ianto's father gently kissed another man on the lips.

Walter's roar of rage gained everyone's attention as he stood on the kids table beating Skidmark about the head with the centrepiece and a little girl wailed for her gummy bears.


	58. Gotcha!

The day of the wedding had arrived, and Jack was unbelievably thankful that he and Ianto had refused a stag night.

Some had gone anyway, without the two grooms attending, and John was still drunk, having spent the night in the cells while screaming his innocence. Why he kept saying he was not the keeper of the gummy bears was beyond all who heard, but John seemed sure he had to make everyone clear on that point. He would be a sore bunny today.

Jack was also thankful that Ianto had scoffed at the "night apart" rule - they were already married so it made no sense. Although a little tender this morning, Jack was blissfully happy.

Nothing was going to spoil today. Not with Ianto's planning skills and Idris's henchmen as bouncers. Jack felt confident of that. When he voiced it to Ianto, however, he was told to stop jinxing them.

Walter was first to be dressed, and his little suit complete with waistcoat made Jack a little weepy. His little man was so gorgeous Jack wondered how he would be able to take his eyes off him long enough for the vows. With his curls grown out again, Walter looked edible in his charcoal pinstripes with a soft pink tie at the collar of his light blue shirt.

When Ianto exited the bedroom shooting his cuffs, all stupid questions like that fled along with all of the blood from Jack's brain. The midnight blue suit and crisp white shirt were such a contrast, and the black tie made the blue shine though the blackish suit fabric. Jack had been sad when Ianto had finally vetoed the red accents but now, as always, he knew Ianto was right.

A god. An Adonis. A bloody vision. Jack wondered if he was drooling as he mentally undressed this king of kings who was rolling his eyes again at Walter, who had asked for a top hat like Unca Skiddy's.

Jack found his own suit laid out with a small box on top of the folded tie. Opening it, Jack found a pair of cufflinks that brought him to his knees.

Melissa's face beamed from one and Walter's from the other. Two petite pictures grinned up at him from the red silk, and Jack took a moment to release some pent up emotions.

Once he'd finished crying, he stumbled to the bathroom where he washed his face and grinned at the mirror. Assured his face still looked the same, Jack retuned to the bedroom and dressed.

Exiting the room, he wandered down the hall, and as he passed the pictures of his family, he pondered the last 48 hours. Tasers and doctors and bloody Hoodlums. What a world. What a family they were creating. He couldn't wait!

The limo had arrived early and the champagne was chilled. Walter did not dance on the seats, and as Ianto let him take a sip of champagne which was promptly spat out, Jack laughed at the silly nerves he'd had. They arrived on time and everyone seemed to be present and mostly sober. Check and check.

The celebrant who met them remembered their names and also seemed calm, which added to Jack's ease. Strangely, Ianto was becoming quieter and his tense frown was beginning to show.

The theme had been winter wonderland, and the silver/white/blue colour scheme was perfect. Jack walked into the big hall that was once a firehouse and was now vacant until a buyer came along and smiled as he shook his head in wonder. Tosh and Ianto had outdone themselves. Rhiannon had been called in along with Martha, and to Jack's surprise, apparently Owen was the man to call when a ladder had to be ascended.

It was decadent yet tasteful. Ianto had used Christmas decorations, sparkles, and bling to create a frosty paradise. Yet, it still felt warm. Instead of the dark blue he had expected, Jack looked out over pale blues with only a splatter of dark here and there like shadows on the snow.

The only disappointment for Jack was the lack of snow. Trust Cardiff to hold out on him. Still, he knew Ianto didn't care as it was an inside job, and come rain, hail, or snow they were going to have a party.

As the ceremony got underway, Jack locked hands and gaze with his love. This is it!

"Jackson Miller Harkness, do you take Ifan …"

"Stop, stop! There's been a terrible mistake!" Gwen screamed as she ran up the aisle.  
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Ha! Gotcha!


	59. I bloody do

"The rings," Gwen gasped as she bent at the waist, showing the assembled men her ample cleavage with a gap much wider than the one between her teeth. "We don't know what Walter did with the bloody rings."

"Walter? You let him hold the rings, ya daft mare?" Owen screeched before turning to Jack and Ianto with horror. Jack shook his head and looked about for help as Ianto leant into his face.

"Bloody jinxer!" he hissed, then turned and called out across the seated guests. "Walter! Get your bloody suited bum in here right now and you better have those rings, young man!"

Tosh's heels clicked as she hurried into the room with her bouquet of flowers carried by Martha, who was following her. The red rosebuds peeking out amongst the orchids had been the red concession and Jack thought Tosh looked like a bride herself as she hurried to reach them in her Sailor Moon-style dress. Owen's soft sigh was lost in the commotion.

"Myfanwy has them, I think," she hissed, looking at Gwen with open hostility.

"Fanny? What is she doing here?" Ianto was bewildered now.

"Walter wanted her to walk him up the aisle so she agreed and I think he put them down and she … well, you know." Tosh waved her hands, and Jack gasped as he imagined her eating the rings.

"Bullshit!" Ianto said, loud enough for his tad to gasp.

Walter toddled into view holding Myfanwy's collar. He had the ring pillow and the glint of gold told Ianto the rings were still there. He glared at Gwen and pointed.

"Oh God. She must have been sitting on them," she giggled as she rushed back down the aisle. "Come on you big bitch, let's get moving."

Jack's mother froze halfway back to her seat and slowly turned to give the full Harkness Glare at Gwen, who rushed past oblivious to the misunderstanding. Ianto felt the hysteria rising and looked at the ceiling as he recited the vows in his head.

This was when one of Gwen's tits fell out. It couldn't have been more out unless it had rolled across the floor like a cantaloupe, and Ianto looked down the aisle just in time to see Idris struggling to push it back into the dress. Everyone was still facing the front. They all saw Ianto's face, and the tide turned. A huge Mexican wave descended towards the back, where Gwen was squeaking and Idris now had his hand stuck under said errant boob. Martha was approaching from behind Gwen with a look of murder about her, and Walter had begun a regal march up the aisle with rings attached.

As Martha began to beat them both about the head with Tosh's bouquet, Ianto erupted into peals of laughter. Walter finally reached the front and beamed up at his hysterical father. Ianto knelt and accepted the rings with a kiss to his little monster's cheek before handing it to Owen with a sob of mirth.

They continued the vows. Gray gave a snort of surprise as his pants fell down, and Jack didn't even look back. Ianto watched as Gray struggled to pull them up over his bright orange silk boxers, and the titters in the crowd did not help Ianto's struggle to swallow his mirth.

"Do you, Jackson …"

"Yes! Bloody yes! We did this bit. He's mine, now get on with it." Jacks own hysteria was bubbling to the surface as Ianto snorted again.

"Ditto for me before you start," Ianto giggled out, and steadied himself for the next bit.

"Oh. Um. Well, er … You each wrote something?" the poor man was shell-shocked.

"Yes! Me first!" Jack demanded, and Ianto giggled again.

"Ianto. I love you. More than I thought possible. I thought love like this was fairy-tale magic and romantic comedies." Jack had to stop as a giggle of his own erupted, and he kissed Ianto's hands before continuing. "I now know true love and I will never doubt its power again. I love you."

Ianto raised an eyebrow to ask if he was finished, and Jack nodded as a tear rolled down his cheek. Ianto leaned over and tasted it as he kissed him.

"Jack," Ianto said with a solemn face but dancing eyes. "I love you back. When I lost Lisa I thought I would never love again. It was just me and Walt against the world. Now I have you in my world I'll embrace it and never fight alone again. You and me and Walt. This is it. The whole world!"

"Erm, yes, kiss then," the celebrant encouraged with a clap.

As they kissed, the place exploded with cheers, yells, and more than a little pent up laughter.

See SD4INATO? Worth the wait?


	60. bloody keeper!

As they moved to take the pictures, those inside hurried to remove the chairs and put up the tables. Upon returning to the hall, Jack was astounded by the beautiful layout that Ianto must have sweated buckets at.

As they sat, Ianto was frowning down the table at Tosh, who looked back with raised eyebrows.

"Where's the bloody cake, Toshi?" he stage whispered, and her eyes widened as she realised it was missing.

A quick hunt ensued. This led to frantic phone calls and a bit of shouting that echoed in the building as Ianto and Jack smiled politely and continued to shake hands with well-wishers. Despite the warning that Ianto didn't like affection, most of Jack's side insisted on a kiss, and Jack was amazed at how politely Ianto allowed a bit of mauling. Jack's mother grabbing his arse was a bit much but given the copious amounts of champagne flowing, it was apparently forgivable as Ianto hugged her back as Grey squealed with horror at his mother's behaviour.

The cake was eventually found and as they rushed it in, Ianto could only watch with his mouth open as it toppled and then fell to the ground. Only he could have a cake that would rather commit suicide than appear at this comedy of errors.

As Myfanwy rushed to help "clean" the mess, Ianto could only watch as the marble cake layer began to disappear. She does love her food, that one!

At least the bottom chocolate layer was intact, as was the top layer that had landed right side up with the two grooms still locked in their frozen embrace. They still got to cut the cake amid drunken cheers, and when Ianto insisted on keeping the top layer so he could carefully remove the layer of icing to preserve the hugging couple, Jack was touched by the plea.

Finally the speeches were done and all the bullshit over with. The two men walked to the dancefloor as the opening music to their song started to play.

As All of Me by John Legend echoed through the space, many began to join them. Tosh finally had Owen by the balls, or rather, shoulders as he cuddled her into oblivion.

Ianto decided Gwen using the fireman's pole as a stripper's pole was one of the highlights of the event as Jack openly screamed abuse at her. Owen was on his knees with laughter as Tosh stalked him and Ianto knew the first dance had done its job as she looked lovingly down at Owen while shaking her head.

The best part that got Jack's vote was when Idris tried to do a toast and Stinky began pouring drink on the ground for their "fallen soldiers" who could not be here to share Toto's big day.

John Hart streaking naked through the water fountain that was visible through the French doors with Myfanwy in hot pursuit was one of the best bits, as was Skidmark snogging said wet urchin under the fountain. Not to mention that John decided he was a cherub and tried to pee into the fountain like one.

At one stage, someone found the control panel and accidentally set off the fire siren during the speeches. But when the photos came back and John Hart was clearly visible in the fountain with his nakedness still on display behind them as they posed for their official shots? Keeper!


	61. Honeymoon.

Ianto groaned as the morning sun flooded the room with light.

"Argh, bright light, bright light!" Ianto muttered, throwing an arm over his eyes.

"Come on babe. Gorgeous day out there, I bet … oh God! Snow!" Jack squealed as he looked out the window. He then leapt onto the bed and jiggled about on his knees.

"Snow. That means snow angels and snow on your tongue and... Come on Yan!" Jack begged.

"Didn't I carry you to bed last night? How come I have the hangover?" Ianto grumbled up at the handsome grin leaning over him.

"Oh, boy. Snow!" Jack enthused as he leapt from the bed like a spider monkey and began throwing clothes haphazardly from the suitcase Ianto had so carefully packed for their honeymoon night.

Ianto sighed and waited.

"Yan? Where's my gloves?"

"Top pocket, cariad," Ianto murmured, turning to burrow into the pillows.

"Yan? Did you pack my scarf? You know the-"

"Blue one. Yes, with the gloves." Ianto gave up and began to throw back the covers.

The Hyatt Suite was lovely and warm. As Ianto padded across the room in his bare feet to empty his bladder, Jack slowly dropped each glove, then the scarf.

"We could just stay in.," Jack licked his lips as he watched his naked Ianto through the open bathroom door.

Ianto absently scratched a bare butt cheek and poked out his tongue at the mirror as he flushed the loo. Last night they had both been too drunk to do more than flop into bed, but this morning Jack wondered if Ianto was up for it.

Jack straightened the bed and picked up the phone for room service, asking for strawberries, whipped cream, dipping sauce, and a nice grape juice. Ianto had declared a dislike for champagne and Jack loved to please his Welshman.

"What time did you agree for us to pick Walt up from Rhia?" Ianto called from the bathroom, mouth full of toothpaste.

"Not until three this afternoon. She and Gray are taking the kids to the park for a picnic lunch," Jack called back, still marvelling at how quickly Gray had latched onto Rhiannon.

"You think it's OK? I mean, Johnny is still lurking about even if they're broken up. They did really only just meet." Ianto leaned back around the door frame and grinned at the sight that met him.

Jack lay back on the bed stroking himself as he impatiently waited for his husband.

"Boy! Come service me!" Jack demanded, pointing at his throbbing cock, and Ianto giggled before dropping into butler mode.

"Yes, master. I be coming, master. I be a good boy," Ianto simpered as he crawled to the bed, and Jack whimpered with excitement.

Ianto climbed onto the bed and looked coyly at Jack through his lashes.

"What you be wanting, master?"

"You on me! Now. Get to it or I'll bloody whip you by God!" Jack warned, and Ianto giggled quietly with his head ducked as he tried to look shocked and needy at the same time.

"I'll be a good boy. I'll please you, master; no need for the whip."

Ianto licked Jack from the base to the tip and as Jack barked with pleasure/pain, Ianto gently bit down.

"That's it. That's bloody it!" Jack roared, flipping Ianto over and straddling his chest.

As Jack proceeded to "whip" Ianto about the face with his engorged cock, Ianto screamed and whimpered, although the occasional giggle escaped as well.


	62. Ya Yobbo

The ride over to Rhiannon's was restful for Ianto, who was sure he would never tire of the soft ache in his bones for his beautiful husband, who was still waxing lyrical about the snow.

"Back in the States the snow got so thick one year that we were stuck inside the house. Dad had to climb out of the attic window and dig down to the backdoor so we could get out. God, I love snow!" Jack enthused as he swung into Rhiannon's driveway.

Ianto was out of the vehicle before Jack even realised there was a problem, and he recognised the raised voices with a groan. He quickly followed his husband into the house.

Johnny stood toe to toe with Gray, who was barring the hallway. Gray's hands were firmly splayed on either side of the hallway walls, and he was braced for a fight. Behind him, Rhiannon was weeping, and the mark on her face she was rubbing with her hand was surely from a slap. Ianto calmly reached around Johnny and decked him. Hard.

Johnny bounced off the wall with a thud and a loud exhale of air as Ianto's fist loosened several of his teeth. Ianto followed it up with a knee to his gut as he struggled to maintain his footing.

"You, ya bloody Hooligan. Should have known you'd defend her. You and ya poofter-"

This time Ianto didn't hold back and allowed his shoulder to follow through as he knocked Johnny down the hallway towards Jack, who was still frozen in the doorway.

"Actually fuckhead, I'm a Hoodlum, not a hooligan. A hooligan is just a yobbo whereas I'm a soldier of the Hoodlum Clan and I will fucking disappear you if you ever touch my sister again," Ianto spoke slowly and politely as he sometimes did to school classes at the library.

"And as for the poofter remark. If you mean me. It's actually Detective Jack Harkness-Jones, Torchwood division. Ask around. The disappearing bit is not a threat. It's so doable right about now it's a promise, you son of a bitch." Jack swung the fat man around on his hip and propelled him out the door.

Johnny landed in the snow and howled with rage. He began to stand but froze at the sound of a low growl.

"You bad man Unca Jono. You hurt my Aunty Rhi-rhi. You bad! Myfanwy eats bad men!" Walter's voice was loud and true as he stood holding his dog by her collar at the side of the house.

Mica and David stood behind him as David comforted his distraught sister and Walter tilted his head defiantly. Jack saw the Jones Stare as Walter released the dog, and was too shocked to issue a counter command.

She bounded across the snow and Johnny gave a high pitched shriek as he turned to run. For a fat man he was surprisingly agile, and the way he threw himself headfirst over the fence was quite athletic.

Ianto shouted the disengage command, and she paused then dropped to the ground, growling at the one who had upset her baby.

As Jack ushered his family back inside, he paused to look back at the dog who waited in case her meal came back.

Good girl.


	63. THAT Shot

Rhiannon was still shaking, and Ianto watched with a critical eye as Gray comforted her with a gentle hug.

"He came storming in here shouting the odds. Demanding the children and that's when he saw me. He just went nuts," Gray informed them as Rhiannon sighed into his chest.

"Rhia, you OK now, sis?" Ianto asked softly.

"God, we had such a nice day yesterday. Now this," she sniffed.

The wail of a siren could be heard in the distance, and Jack rolled his eyes before nodding at Ianto to stay there.

As the Heddlu drew up to the kerb, Jack wandered out to meet them.

"Hey Captain!" called Andy as he slipped getting out of the vehicle. "Bloody snow."

"Yeah. Great, huh?" Jack grinned, and Kathy laughed from the other side of the vehicle.

"We got a call about a kidnapping. Seemed a bit strange." Andy drew level and grinned at Jack.

"My sister-in-law's estranged husband came around for a visit with the kids but forgot to ask permission first. Then he became angry when he saw my brother there to collect my son, who Mrs Davies had been babysitting," Jack gave his account. "My husband became angry when the complainant assaulted Mrs Davies, his sister. He forcibly removed the man from the immediate scene and I proceeded to remove him from the house. Myfanwy then escorted him from the property."

At the mention of the dog, both officers looked around, hastily backpedalling towards the gate, and Jack laughed as he waved his hand. "It's OK. She's around the back with the children."

"Did they witness the attack?" Kathy growled.

"They saw him hit her!" Ianto called out as he strode towards them.

Andy straightened a bit as he watched Ianto approach with large sweeping strides like he was walking on top of the snow.

"They ran outside when he hit her. My boy set the dog on him. I'd have set her to attack mode. Thankfully he doesn't know the command or he may have given it. They are very upset." Ianto snarled.

"Hello Toto," Andy said, cordially holding out his hand.

"Andy Pandy?" Ianto laughed, accepting the handshake.

"Well, shit. You're the Ianto who married the Captain here?" Andy crooked a thumb at Jack.

"Yep. Best cover ever. All those speeding tickets," Ianto said wistfully.

"Not to mention that bloody possession charge! Shit, never did thank you for taking that one for me," Andy laughed.

Ianto laughed and clapped Andy on the back as another vehicle slid in beside the Heddlu car. John Hart stepped out of the driver's side with dark glasses hiding yesterday's damage while Gwen practically fell from the passenger side with her bloodshot eyes filling her face.

"Ah, hello my little party animals," Jack laughed as they stomped over.

"Stuff it Harkness!" Gwen huffed as she pulled her jacket around herself.

"Harkness-Jones, thank you. Gwen? Or do you have a stripper name picked now?" Jack asked pleasantly.

"Oh she chose one, Jack. Before she fell off the pole, remember?" Ianto frowned at her.

"God, I'm sorry about that. Too much champers, pet." She smiled apologetically at Ianto, who grinned.

"Bit late for that, Cantaloupe Jane," Ianto drawled, and she remembered the dress malfunction with a shocked gasp.

Hart started to snort but stopped when Ianto's stare found him. "As for you, little cherub. You're lucky I didn't drown you in that bloody fountain!"

"Hey, come on. At least I was entertaining, man!" John grinned as Jack made slashing motions at his throat behind Ianto's back.

What John didn't know was that the first proofs had been sent through by the photographer and Ianto had seen the "Fountain shot".


	64. high?

Ianto left Walter with the Harkness brothers, who were spoiling him rotten in front of the telly, and headed to reception to check on the clean-up.

Tosh looked up as he strolled into the main hall and she patted Owen on the ankle as he strained near the top of the ladder to reach the balloon caught in the rafters.

"Looking good," Ianto smiled, amazed at the condition that was nothing like the bomb site he'd left the night before with a drunken Mr Handsy-Jack.

"Ta. I work out," Owen preened, shaking his bum as Ianto snorted with mirth.

"Look at these fittings. Must be hell to … shit! There's a mezzanine walkway up here. What the fuck am I doing up a ladder?" Owen demanded.

Ianto stepped around the ladder and looked up. Owen was right. This must have been the walkway to clean the feature windows. The sleeping quarters were on the upper level to the right of the main doors. This was a feature Ianto hadn't seen and he now noted that there seemed to be a small room at the end, above the entrance. With a cry of delight, he raced for the stairs.

Owen looked down at Tosh and grinned. He could see right down her blouse and wow, she was gorgeous. He looked back up and Ianto's excited face was close enough to touch as he crouched between the railings of the mezzanine safety rail.

"Have to get this fixed. Walt could fit through," Ianto muttered with a wink before disappearing.

"Huh? Walter?" Owen looked down at Tosh again but she was watching with horror as Ianto calmly hopped up onto the railing and then began to walk across the main beam supporting the huge chandelier.

"Ianto? Please get down," she begged.

"It's OK. Gymnast at school and parkour enthusiast in my youth. I love heights!" Ianto crowed.

This was when Jack entered with Walter in tow. He looked up at his husband in disbelief.

"Hon? What are you doing?" Jack asked with as calm a voice as he could manage.

"It's OK. No birds' nests. Means the gables are intact," Ianto called back.

"What, Yan?" Jack called out as he looked at Owen with confusion.

"Have to check the listing. If it's heritage it'll be a bit more work," came the faint reply.

Jack finally got what was happening and began to look around himself. Ianto was thinking of buying this as their next home? Jack thought about it for a few beats and then grinned. All this land attached, and the huge back yard? Yep, doable. With an architect in the family, this could be converted into quite the home.


	65. home?

Ianto was standing on the lawn staring at the rear of the firehouse. The greenery covered most of the brickwork, and the once lavish gardens were overgrown to form a wilderness Walter would spend hours of fun hiding in.

In his youth he had learned parkour as part of his life as a Hoodlum. Although Jack had seen his rap sheet, Ianto swore to himself he would never admit to Jack the amount of shit he had done in the name of the gang his brother had lived and died for. Eugene's violent and pointless death had soured the taste of adrenalin he had craved, and his last break-in had been the night he broke into his own parents' house to steal Eugene's ashes for Idris. He had made Martha swear never to tell Idris how she had retrieved them, and to this day his fathers spoke lovingly to the cigar ash he had placed in the urn in Eugene's stead.

Ianto imagined fairy lights and hanging baskets of bright flowers in spring. A small garden in the corner would be for Eugene and Lisa. For Sofia and Melissa as well, if Jack liked the idea. A remembrance garden with white roses and some sculptures.

It didn't have historic listing, so he could easily change the interior of the building to make it a home. He had started the remodel within a month of their wedding. Telling the library to stuff their "disciplinary" mistake, he'd decided he wanted a change. He was still trying to decide what he wanted to do, but this project meant more time with Jack and Walter. Win-win.

Jack wandered out and waved as he watched Ianto standing with his hands on his hips looking delectable. Jack pondered if he would ever get sick of the sight of this Welshman in front of him. With a warm glow, he knew he would want him forever.

Ianto was glaring at the fountain now, and Jack sighed as he saw a lot of destruction ahead, removing it. Maybe he could suggest a play area or sandpit there, as it was visible from inside and was such a large area to convert into lawn.

To learn that Gray had not only apologised for the way he had previously treated Ianto but had also offered Ianto whatever help he might need was pleasing to Jack, who was mollified that Gray finally saw Ianto as a permanent fixture. Of course, Rhiannon and her two kids were a good distraction for Gray's need to protect someone.

"Daddy? Is Tadda meant to look funny?" Walter asked as he pulled on Jack's jacket.

Ianto was walking heel to toe as he measured the fountain's base, and Jack groaned. Yep, definitely going to rip that out. Bloody John had contaminated it.

"Yan? Lunch? Buggy Bum is getting hungry," Jack called out, and Ianto stopped his measuring and walked over to them.

"Yes, Walter is probably hungry too," Ianto said cheekily before evading Jack's grabbing hands.

"You will pay for that later, Mr Harkness-Jones," he growled.

"Oh I hope so, Mr Harkness-Jones," Ianto crowed as he slipped past and entered the building.

Drop cloths covered the floor and it appeared larger than before with the stark white cloths causing an optical effect as they crawled over furniture. The previously creamy yellow walls were being transformed to a rich burgundy that made the honey-stained wood pop. Jack had to admit that Ianto really had an eye for design as the balustrades were updated to include black middle rails that made them "Walter safe" and added to the overall look.

The overhead beams had been exposed and oiled to a deep reddish black with the chandelier throwing light back up at the white ceiling. The brass door handles gleamed.

Jack could see himself coming from the room above the entrance that he had been overjoyed to see on the plans that Ianto had pored over at the kitchen table every night for a week, with "Jack's Office" confidently scrawled across the area. Walking halfway along the mezzanine deck and looking down onto the spot where they exchanged vows, he would be able to watch his family. Their main room would be grand and inviting with ample room for Walter to grow. The entertainment corner would not eat too much room, so in winter Walter could still run about without feeling cloistered.

Ianto had decided to have underfloor heating installed, and carried the wood theme through to the wooden floor so the concrete pad that the big fire engines once sat on every day could remain hidden instead of being torn up. The remainder of the concrete at the entrance way and around to the wet room would be left intact and polished.

The offices were being pushed out and walls removed to become two bedrooms with the bathroom in the middle so both bedrooms could use it as an en-suite. A large third bedroom was going to be where the sleeping quarters were upstairs. The other upstairs area would be Walter's playroom. Ianto had assured Jack that they could have sofa beds up there for extra guests but reminded him that Walter would be a teenager one day and would probably move up to that bedroom in his early teens so he could have his own living area.

Jack was amazed to learn that Ianto had money. A lot of money. The pay-out from the accident had sat in an account and Lisa's insurance money had been left totally untouched. Now that Ianto had let Lisa go, he was surging ahead.

Jack had offered to pay half, hoping it would be accepted. He held his breath as Ianto had looked at him long and hard before shaking his head. Jack's heart dropped. When Ianto had scoffed at the offer, telling Jack they were a married couple and should just have a joint account and stop thinking of separate bills, Jack had not only felt silly, he had felt positively loopy.


	66. Poison Ivy

"Walter?" Ianto called out for a third time, and this time let his anger show in his voice.

"Walt, come on buddy!" Jack yelled as he crawled through the shrubbery.

After fifteen minutes, Ianto was out of patience. Wherever he was hiding, Walter was in trouble once he came out. A break in painting to enjoy the sunshine with his son, and here he was, hunting for his errant child like an old lady calling her cat in out of the rain.

Gray and Rhiannon walked out into the sunshine and immediately hooded their eyes against the glare. Gray stood with a confused frown as he watched his brother emerge from the undergrowth on his hands and knees while Ianto stood there with his painting overalls tied at his waist, showing off his athletic physique in a tank top, while having a meltdown.

"WALTER!" Ianto roared, and Rhiannon gasped.

"Walter, come see what I have!" she called out in a sing-song voice.

"Ianto, I only turned to see …" Jack tried to defend himself, and Ianto turned to stop him with his hand raised.

"Now is not the time for blame. I have plenty of time to blame away, after I have found my son! The level of shit you are in right now, Mr Harkness-Jones, is to be determined. Find our son!" Ianto snarled and Jack whimpered.

Gray finally got what the problem was and ran for the creek at the bottom of the yard. He could see the fencing, and checked to see if it was still intact. No footprints in the mud told him that Walter wasn't in or near the water, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He'd had nightmares about that creek and had gladly helped Jack build the fence before work began on the house.

"Walter?" he called as he returned to the backyard, and then he heard an answer.

Gray looked up.

Hanging by his fingertips, Walter was more than halfway up the ivy that clung to the side of the firehouse, and Gray swallowed down a whimper as he judged the fall to be nearly fifteen feet if his fingers lost their grip.

Ianto had heard his son's cry and turned the corner of the house at a run. He skidded to a halt and looked in the direction of Gray's open gape. Jack also came running, and when he looked up he couldn't help the curse that exploded from him.

Owen's head appeared from the top floor window and looked down at the boy, barely four feet below, and echoed the curse. Walter looked up at his uncle "Owie" and grinned.

Before anyone could move, Owen swung his legs out over the window ledge and began to climb down towards Walter.

"Oh God, my baby," Ianto whispered as Jack clutched at Ianto's arm with silent dread.

"It's a fire house. Don't they have one of those net thingies?" Gray asked, and Ianto's eye roll was all he needed to know he was being a bit silly now.

As Owen scooped up the little monkey and confidently climbed back up with Walter on his back, Ianto gave in to the shaking as he collapsed into Jack's arms.

"It's going. That fucking ivy is dead!" he declared as Jack kissed him, gently rubbing his back.

Yes, Jack could feel the shit level recede slightly, and vowed to cut all the ivy down himself.


	67. Happy home

The house warming was tomorrow, and Ianto wanted one more coat on the doorframes upstairs. He had left his family at his sister’s, where Walter was having a sleepover with his cousins.

 

The footsteps on the stairs were unmistakably Jack’s as his boots thumped closer and closer. Ianto closed the lid to the paint pot and thumped it down as Jack entered what would soon be his office.

 

Unlike the rest of the house, there was no red in here. Police-box blue Tongue 'n Groove walls with white trim and a skylight nearly the size of the roof would make it light and airy by day, but now in the dark it was downright ethereal as the moonlight streamed in. The window was round and looked out over the front yard. Perfect for seeing the comings and goings of the street. How Ianto knew he was a watcher he didn’t know, but he already had the layout of his office in his head.

 

Jack flopped onto the floor where his desk would be, and looked up at the stars. Ianto joined him on the wooden floor and cuddled into his side.

 

“Love you,” Ianto whispered, and Jack kissed him in response.

 

Jack reached for the front of the overalls and found to his extreme delight that Ianto was naked inside his paint-splattered wrapping.

 

“You minx,” he moaned, and Ianto laughed.

 

“But I’m hot, cariad” Ianto complained, and Jack laughed as well.

 

“Oh Tiger, you are so bloody hot there are not words!” Jack growled, and Ianto’s groan of pleasure as Jack found his cock took his breath for a moment.

 

They were soon both naked as they officially christened their home and the first of (hopefully) all the rooms. Jack slid down Ianto’s body as he pleaded softly to his husband to stop being such a fucking tease, and Jack sniggered as he licked the cock from base to tip and Ianto laughed disjointedly as Jack took a deep breath and swallowed him down.

 

Jack prepared Ianto with first one finger, then two, and finished with three, finger-fucking him as the begging gave way to breathy moans and occasionally Jack’s name.

Jack positioned himself above his bossy bottom and pushed in. As Ianto sighed with relief, Jack couldn’t agree more.

 

This was home.


	68. coming soon ...

Coming soon to a screen near you.

Walter 2

Two years later and Walter is turning five, starting school, and developing a voice of his own.

This chaotic idyllic little family may face a tragedy they can't come back from.!

Don't worry … it's coming.


	69. Yay 69!

Ianto woke to the sound of rain on the roof and the sensation of being sucked dick first into a void. With a hoarse bark of surprise, he reached down, stroking his husband's face as Jack once again deep throated him.

"Jack, here!" Ianto gasped, finding words hard to focus on, let alone visualise.

Jack shuffled around until he was straddling Ianto and slowly slid his knees so that the tip of his manhood breached Ianto's lips.

Ianto eagerly licked, nibbled, and sucked at Jack's knob as Jack moaned around his own work in progress.

Jack's moans became whines as Ianto slipped a finger into Jack's pulsating hole and finger fucked him while still tasting him.

With a wet pop, Jack released Ianto's dick and rested his head against Ianto's inner thigh as he cried out wig in pleasure. The sensation of his breath on the Ianto's wet member drove Ianto insane, and as he came he released Jack's dick from his mouth and squeezed it spasmodically.

Jack collapsed to one side as his orgasm cramped his muscles, and they both lay panting and shaking as they blissed out.

"Love you,." Ianto whispered once he found his voice again.

"Yeah, love you too."

**Sorry, couldn't leave Walter 1 without making it to Chap 69. Jack would never have forgiven me!**


	70. Walter 2

"Walter 2" now up my friends … hurry on over to start the fun.

Thanks for reading and I do love reviews, some confuse and some annoy but most are so funny or kind.

I post almost daily but please remember that my poor Beta has been slammed with up to 3 chaps at a time and I am not posting at the same time as her. I'm usually over 20 chaps in before I start a new story on-line postings so she has had plenty of time to politely shield you from some of my brain-farts. By the time I catch up with post/emails we are cooking with gasoline. Walter Verse is the only one she Betas, all other stories are my own fault entirely … I know my dyslexia can be a bitch at times. Sorry.

Some might find me rushed, harried and even crazy but this is how I see it in my head. If some things are not expanded on, feelings not expressed, please remember that is because I trust YOU to fill in the blanks. Reviews show you all saw different things, interpret scenes differently and I do love that. If you are angry with one of my characters please tell them so via review. Your insight might help a fellow reader re-interpret a scene they didn't read the same or understand. Some reviews have even led me to my own revelations about the path of the storyline.

Just remember, this story has a mind of its own and I cannot always control these boys or their stupid tempers. Do not be angry with me, I do not believe in being polite if one is being a dickhead!

I hope you like Walter 2, I'm having a blast with it and I'm sure my poor beta is lamenting my insomnia most days when she finds yet another email waiting.

I Love Heart Full of Elves, she has become a wonderful friend. If you want to see how much her style has influenced me just go read some of her stuff. From my early ramblings, I have slowly evolved.

Thank you for staying with me, I am so terrible to live with.


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